Pacata Horologiis
by CelebrityCoffinStealer
Summary: Prince Alfred of the Spade Kingdom is in search for his queen-to-be, but ends up with a datorem best friend instead. As the deadline approaches, Alfred is forced into an arranged marriage to a Clubs-woman. Will he be able to come to terms with his confusing feelings, or will he be forced into a life he wasn't ready for? Cardverse AU!America x England. Enjoy :]
1. The Datorem and the Prince

**Miss Stealer:** Hello there my little lemon drops! I know I haven't done anything for quite a bit, but life's been pretty hectic for me with school and family issues, but I AM BACK BABY! This is an idea I came up with ever since I started to become obsessed with Cardverse. The name is Latin and means "Peaceful Clocks" and basically datorem means "giver of life" (Just keep that in mind). It's another America x England (my OTP). The rating will definitely change later on, but right now it's going to stay. Hope you all enjoy!

**. . .**

Our story begins in the glorious Kingdom of Spades on a cold, stormy night. The grand castle of rich blues, golds, and whites was dark and quiet; the only sounds were the echoes of thunder and rain in the empty halls. In one bed chamber at the end of the west wing on the top floor, a small child of only four lay quivering in his too big bed. The large window beside him framed the harsh white light of the lightning as it struck once more, causing him to cower deeper into his silk sheets for what was to come. A frightening bang erupted and seemed to shake the walls and floors. The little boy's eyes closed in fear and he sprinted to the large oak doors of his room, jumping up to clasp onto the gold handle and running out. He ran down the corridor and up the last long flight of stairs at great speed. By the time he had reached the ornate hall leading to the king and queen's bed chamber, his cheeks were red and clear paths of tears ran down the chubby mounds.

Not bothering to knock, he pulled the ten foot tall spade-encrusted door to the room open and dived for the bed even larger than his own. The two figures already there stirred and, still trembling, covered himself with the warm sheets and cuddling into the smaller figure.

"Mmn…Alfred?" The woman he held onto opened her baby blue eyes and blinked blearily at cowering child. "Darling, what are you doing up so late?" She pulled him closer and he seemed to relax. As if to answer for him, the sky let forth another loud boom of thunder and she chuckled warmly as he whimpered.

"Should've known, silly little boy, you are." They both looked up and saw the other figure now awake. His warm light brown orbs stared at them both and he smiled sleepily as he ruffled the little boys' blonde hair that matched his own. "Come here, both of you." The two scooted closer to the large man and into his welcoming arms. Settled down by the comfort and love of his parents, Prince Alfred Jones drifted to sleep with the king and queen, dreaming peacefully.

***~* Twelve Years Later *~***

_CRASH!_

Queen Mariel looked up, startled, from her needlepoint and rushed into the large grand foyer of the Spade Palace. She saw maids rushing about around a very large mess at the end of the staircase. Her son sat there, more like sprawled out, on the ground surrounded by what used to be a beautiful bouquet of summer lilies, broken ceramic from their vase, and an ornate silver bowl covering his head and dripping with melted chocolate. Sitting next to the disoriented boy was the royal cat, Auruma, licking her paw contently.

"Gods…" She watched as he picked the large bowl off his face and shook his head, spraying chocolate on passing maids and grinning like an idiot. Stifling her laugh, which was sure to be loud, she let out a high pitched giggle.

"Heheh, hey mom!" He looked over at his mother and headed toward her when she beckoned him closer. She stared at him intently and the servants seemed to stand still, waiting for her net move or word. She looked him up and down. His best Sunday suit was ruined and stained with rich chocolate and the only thing that seemed to not have the brown colour was his bright, energetic blue eyes. Mariel couldn't hold her giggles for very long and started to laugh light-heartedly. Everyone in the room relaxed at the sound of their happy queen. She swiped some chocolate off of his face and licked it off her finger, still laughing.

"You silly boy! What have I told you about chasing poor Auruma around? Gods, you're just like your father, you are." He smiled at her brightly.

"I try."

"Well, go up and wash. Your father wants to see you at noon, don't forget. I'll worry about this mess, go on now." She smiled and lightly pushed him towards the large grand staircase when he threatened to hug her and put some chocolate from his face onto her nose; their laughing brightening up the palace.

Normally, a queen would be horrified by the event and yelled at anyone and everyone to clean the mess up. Queen Mariel, however, along with her husband, King Theodore, were the most lenient and happy couple that had ever ruled the Spade Kingdom. Their everlasting cheerful moods had rubbed off on their energetic son, Alfred, and the palace had never seen brighter days. All of the servants were treated like family and the cities prospered immensely. The Jones' line had started with the late couple, and the kingdom and its' citizens would be happy if it continued for many years to come.

While the queen and a few servants tidied up the foyer, Alfred skipped up the steps to his fifth floor bed chamber at the end of the west wing. The same room he had been living in ever since he could remember. If you were to step foot in the large room, you could tell that a sixteen year old boy lived there. The dark blue sheets of his huge four-post bed were rumpled, books of all sizes were strewn across the floor near the paper-cluttered, dark brown desk and there were pictures of constellations and nation-wide news clippings pinned to the walls. Alfred passed all of this and entered his personal bathroom; all white with blue accents and a huge two person, cast iron bathtub. One of the maids had probably heard the commotion and drew a hot, steamy bath for him already.

He quickly shed his dirtied clothes and shucked them into the basket near the large looking glass hung on the wall. Eagerly, he jumped into the water and instantly relaxed at its' high temperature. He washed quickly and reluctantly got out of the, now brown, water, heading for the connecting wardrobe. Many suits of all rich colours were hung there and shined shoes sat under each suit. He blindly grabbed one of the pairs along with its' matching suit and hurriedly put them on. A few knocks sounded outside his door as he was struggling with his new tie.

"Alfred?" his mother poked her head through the door and walked in, taking over his poor job at the brown knot. "Good, you've cleaned. Teddy says he has something big to talk to you about. Wonder what it is?"

"Knowing dad, he's probably gonna test me again. It's starting to get really annoying." Alfred pouted, "I know everything I have to know already; can't he just quit it?" Mariel lightly slapped Alfred's arm.

"Oh come now, he only does it to make sure you'll be a good fit for a king."

"But I will be! 'Cause I'm a hero! Right ma?"

"Alfred, at least _try_ to use the proper grammar Jack Yao taught you. He really has tried hard." Alfred smiled warmly and hugged his mother.

"Okay, you're no fun."

"Posh, now go see your father, he's waiting in his study."

**. . .**

"Ahh, Al! Come in, come in! I have something to discuss with you, son." King Theodore beckoned his son closer and into a comfy leather chair in front of his desk.

"Sure, what is it?"

Theodore's smile slightly diminished and his tone was more serious. "Now, Alfred. You're sixteen now and I've been thinking about your future as king, as you should be doing as well. I know it's only two years yet, but soon you will need to find someone to be your queen." Alfred sighed dramatically and was going to protest, but the king held up his hand and cut him off. "However, I will be kind. I will allow you to break the tradition of having us choose who you are to marry. So, this means that you'll actually have to go out and make an effort. Jack Yao is willing to let you accompany him to the cities around the kingdom while running his errands. If you don't find anyone to your liking before your eighteenth birthday, we'll have to choose for you. How does that sound?" Theodore looked at his son as he pondered the idea.

It was a lot to process in a small amount of time. Only a half hour ago he was enjoying his youth and acting like a kid, and now he had to think about _marriage_?

"W-well, uhh…" Alfred cleared his throat awkwardly, "I guess that sounds…fine?" The king smiled and clearly ignored his sons' discomfort regarding the news.

"Great! You can go along and leave now, then. Jack Yao is waiting in the gardens." Alfred stood up in shock.

"Wait, now? Why?" He whined. Theodore walked over and clapped his hand on Alfred's shoulder.

"The sooner the better, yeah?" Then he disappeared out the door to his bed chamber, ending their conversation.

'_I'm not ready for this…'_ Alfred thought with dread as he headed out into the expansive Spade Gardens where Jack Yao was awaiting his arrival.

**. . .**

Alfred plopped down on his seat in the plush royal carriage as Jack Yao followed after him in a calmer manner.

"This is so boring! It's been _six hours_ and we've only visited _two_ cities! Can't we just go back to the palace now?" Alfred whined for the millionth time that day.

"No," the jack snapped," We have one last city to attend to. Then we will be free of each other." He hadn't been too happy about the king changing tradition so easily, but put up with his wishes nonetheless.

The pair traveled for another hour toward the Spade Kingdoms' infamous city of London in the England county. The city really was a sight to see; the architecture of the buildings was seen nowhere else on Cards and it was famous for its exports of coal and delicious tea. It was also the birthplace of the greatest technology known to the current century.

"Hopefully this city will be promising for you, Prince Alfred," Jack Yao said as they entered the city's grand gates, "I shall not be following you this time, as I have actual errands to run here and I'm sure you can take care of yourself." They both exited the carriage and when Alfred turned to ask when they should meet back, the swift jack had already disappeared.

"Okay then…" Alfred sighed to himself and set out into the bustling city, enjoying the views. He knew he should be looking for the future 'Mrs. Jones', but he had never really gotten the chance to visit any of the cities he would soon be ruling over. A group of girls walked past him, giggling and smiling at him and he politely smiled back. When they were out of sight, he scrunched his nose up in disgust.

'_Dang, the girls here are ugly!'_

With the conclusion that he would _definitely_ not find his wife here, he set out for the quickest route back to the carriage. He decided to take some back streets that were less crowded. These streets were much more homey and comfortable, rather than the stuffy air in the congested downtown streets. Alfred's thoughts were interrupted by a loud, shouting group of boys surrounding what looked like another, smaller boy.

"Get out of here datorem!"

"Yeah, you're just a whore!"

"No one likes your kind!"

The boys were kicking at the, what Alfred assumed was, blonde haired boys' small form and spitting in his face. The boy just laid there in a fetal position with his eyes screwed shut motionless. Almost like this happened every day. It most likely did, seeing as most people looked down on datorems. Datorems were males born with the ability to give life, or, basically, give birth. They were a lot more feminine and small, like a woman, unlike the normal build for a man. Alfred had never seen anything wrong about datorems and personally, he thought them to be cool. Having the ability to do things normal males couldn't, and put up with everything that came with that ability, was really admirable to Alfred. Seeing people do things like this to datorems just because they were different made him sick.

"Hey!" the boys turned and sneered at him," Leave him alone!"

"Leave 'im alone, he says!" The tallest boy in the group walked towards Alfred with a cocky grin on his face, "This 'ere is a datorem, lad. We don't take to kindly to 'is kind." That comment set off Alfred's rage.

"His _kind_? Last time I checked, datorems were humans too! How would you like it if people started to beat the crap out of you every day just because you're fat and pathetic? So just beat it, kid!"

"Why you little…" the tall boy, along with the others, charged at Alfred, swinging their fists and kicking blindly. Alfred smirked at their lack of skill and picked up a wooden broom from against a nearby wall. With each boy that came at him, Alfred countered their weak attacks and set them all flying. Eventually they started to stagger away with blood dripping out of their noses and bruised egos. He threw the dirty broom down and turned toward the boy lying on the floor, walking over and crouching next to him.

"Hey there," Alfred said softly, trying to coax the datorem out of his makeshift protection, "You alright?"

The shy boy uncurled slightly and opened his eyes, turning them up towards his savior. Alfred's breath hitched when the brightest and kindest emerald eyes he had ever seen, brimming with unshed tears, looking up at him like a scared doe. He smiled warmly and held his hand out to the smaller boy and helped him back to his feet. The bruises from the kicks he had been receiving were already starting to show, adding to some of the nastier and older ones on his torso and stomach.

"I'm Alfred. What's your name?" the boy shifted uncomfortably and looked back at him with a new fire in his eyes, making the already bright emerald shine.

"Arthur." He said snippily, "Why did you help someone like me?"

"Why wouldn't I? I gotta be a hero if I'm gonna be king, you know?" Arthur's eyes widened and realization dawned on him. He quickly knelt to the ground and put the tips of his fingers on one hand to his forehead.

"Your majesty, I didn't know-"

"Haha! You don't need to! I don't normally make my friends do that!" Alfred shook with laughter and Arthur looked up at him in confusion.

"F-friend?"

"Well, yeah, of course!" Alfred pulled him back to his feet and wrapped his arm around Arthur's small shoulders, smiling. "Arthur, my pal, you're gonna be my new best friend, and I'll be your hero anytime you need!"

**. . .**

…So? Do you like it so far? If this keeps up, I'll most likely try to update once a week. I really think this story could go somewhere, but if you guys have any ideas, please tell me! Reviews will most likely keep this alive. XD I love input from you guys and I really take them to heart. So, rate and review and tell me what you think! Love y'all! :D

**~Miss Stealer**


	2. Assistant to Be, or Not to Be?

**Miss Stealer:** Hello there~! Welcome to chapter two! Glad you guys liked the first chapter; I really love this story so far. ^_^ **Artimashunt**: thank you for your approval ;). And to my two lovely guests, I'm glad you love it and I'll be sure to make Arthur get back his feisty-ness. Hope you enjoy this next bit~!

**Disclaimer:** I forgot to put this earlier, so here it is now: I DON'T OWN HETALIA…..if only T_T

**. . .**

Arthur stiffened at the princes' friendly contact and grimaced at his overly cheerful and booming voice. Sure he was grateful for his help, but he didn't have to act so gaudily. Alfred noticed his friends' discomfort and pulled his arm back, smiling warmly again.

"Hey, buddy, wanna show me around the city? I've never been here before!" Arthur stared at the Spade prince.

"Really, now?" he asked, raising a bushy brow as he started to walk away from the side street and in the opposite direction the group of boys ran. Alfred followed after him eagerly.

"Yeah, my dad has kinda kept me busy with studies and training and all that stupid stuff. Gods, it sucks!"

"Humph," Arthur rolled his eyes, "Yes, getting a proper education and military training is certainly torturous. Well, good day to you, _your majesty_." Arthur said snippily, weaving through the people rushing be like the wind, turning and ducking expertly to smoothly avoid even slightly brushing up against anyone. Alfred stumbled after him, not as graceful as the blonde haired spitfire.

"Hey!" he grabbed Arthurs' rough shirt once he finally caught up to him. Arthur turned and sharply glared at Alfred, his emerald eyes alight with annoyance and clashing with bright, cheerful blue.

"Don't you have royal duties to attend to?" Arthur snapped.

"Well, uhh, sorta, but I'd rather hand out with you, dude!" Alfred used his infamous puppy dog eyes that got him everything from a book to a purebred stallion, (which he named Nova, for your information) when Arthur continued to glare in silence.

"No."

"Wha? Hey, c'mon!" Alfred whined and stopped Arthur as he walked off again, earning himself a slap to the face.

"Let me go! I don't care if you're the Prince of Spades or a mutated sewer rat; just leave me alone, you sodding git!" Alfred stared at Arthur with a blank face after his outburst. Arthur thought for sure he would at least be beheaded for his yelling.

"Wow… I thought datorems were really nice…" Alfred mumbled to himself, but Arthur heard him clear as day.

"_Excuse me_?" Arthur was livid; his beheading be damned. "So, you finally meet a dirty datorem and expect them to be the pinnacle of innocence? To have bloody posies in their hair and be the best of friends with anyone and anything? It's bad enough we're viewed like women-"

During Arthur's rant, Alfred looked past him and saw Jack Yao with his entourage of guardsmen heading their way. Remembering what he was supposed to be doing and realizing Arthur was making a scene with his yelling, Alfred grabbed Arthur's hand and ducked into a dark alley. To keep the protesting Londoner quiet, Alfred held his hand over Arthur's mouth, causing him to squeak in surprise.

"Shh!" Alfred hushed, leaning over to wait until he could see the Jack moving away from their position. "Ow!" Alfred jumped back and clutched his hand to his chest as Arthur smirked victoriously at him.

"Serves you right! Grabbing me like that…who taught you manners? Good heavens, what was that all even about?"

"Oh, well," Alfred rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "I'm not really doing what I'm supposed to be doing, so I don't wanna get caught is all…"

"And what, pray tell, are your _royal duties_ you should be attending to?" Arthur asked, crossing his arms over his chest impatiently.

"Finding a stupid wife…" Alfred pouted and Arthur looked at him shocked.

"Stupid? If I may, Prince Alfred, I believe you should treat this very seriously. Especially if your father is letting you chose your future companion; not many people in even the _entire kingdom_ do that. You're very lucky. Don't ruin it for yourself. Some people would kill for the opportunity to marry whom they want." Alfred stared at Arthur and saw past his feminine looks, seeing the wisdom a boy his age wouldn't normally possess. It inspired Alfred and gave him, what he thought was, a great idea.

"Hey, why don't you help me out? I could use it, dude! Im not good at this stuff! Haha!"

"Me?" Arthur looked highly confused," Me, a poor datorem from the scum of London, helping to choose the future queen of the Spades Kingdom? Hah! You make me laugh, boy!"

"But I'm serious!" Alfred walked up to Arthur and took his hands in his own, a pleading look on his face," I know you don't think highly of yourself or anything, but I could _really_ use the help! Please, Artie?"

Arthur was still confused. How could he of all people, who had _just_ met the prince not more than an hour ago, help determine who the _Prince of Spades_ was going to be betrothed to? It didn't make any sense to him that Alfred would just meet a random person, a _datorem_ no less, and ask them to help choose who he's going to be with for the rest of his life! He seemed to have drifted off into thought for quite a while because Alfred started to call his name.

"Artiee!" he whined," Please? I'll- I'll let you come to the castle with me! You can tour around the country with me and help me decide! Please, Arthur, I know we just met and all but I've never done something like this on my own. At least I'm being creative!"

"Not creative, plain stupid! I can't live in the bloody palace, you fool! Get your head screwed back on straight and do it yourself!" Arthur ripped his hands out of the princes' hold and glared at the pleading boy in front of him. Alfred looked into his eyes hopefully, but was only met with stubborn resistance and sighed despondently.

"Okay…" he sadly looked into Arthur's eyes, but on the inside, he could tell Arthur's resolve was breaking. "I respect your decision, Artie."

Alfred could practically hear the pieces falling apart, but they still held strong. Experience told him that for the best possible result, he would have to sit and wait for the snap. He could be downright sneaky and manipulative when he wanted something, believe it or not. So, for the rest of the time he hung around Arthur, even though the datorem still yelled at him to leave, Alfred didn't mention his earlier plead at all. When it came time for the prince to return home to the palace, the two boys parted ways.

"Well Arthur, I gotta get goin'. Trip's gonna be a long one! See you around, buddy!" Alfred pulled Arthur into another bone crushing hug; the Londoner becoming rigid again and clearing his throat awkwardly.

"Ahh, yes," his knowledge on how to say formalities to royals kicking in," Please do return home safe, Prince Alfred. Good wishes to you." Arthur bowed quickly and stiffly, and then hurried off without another glance.

Alfred grinned widely to himself and took off in the direction he presumed would lead him to the carriage. After a while of searching aimlessly, he found Jack Yao waiting impatiently in the carriage they arrived in. He jumped in, his happy mood from being with Arthur still evident. The jack saw this and questioned the prince.

"Did one catch your eye, sir?"

Alfred's smile fell just slightly. Technically, he should say no because, as he noted before, the women in London were ugly (no offence). However, if he did, then the jack would make him go to more cities and most likely never revisit this one again. Then he wouldn't be able to see his new friend, whom he thought was actually quite fun under his general rudeness. So, Alfred lied.

"You know, I really think this one could work out!"

The jack raised his thin eyebrows and seemed to be pleased, but kept quiet the entire way back to the castle. Alfred happily bounded out of the stuffy carriage and ran through the large spade shaped doors into the main foyer. The entire room was empty and quiet, and he could see that all of the candles were lit throughout the room, giving it a healthy glow. One of the maids was scurrying past, but paused upon seeing the prince's arrival.

"Oh! Prince Alfred, King Theodore wishes to speak to you." Alfred smiled at her and nodded, allowing the maid to continue her duties.

He ran up the stairs and to his father's grand study. When he poked his head inside, though, he saw it was empty. The comfy chair was pushed all the way in and the books on the old oak desk were all closed. Alfred smiled to himself and headed back to the ground level and into the Royal Spade Garden. Ever since his father became king, he openly showed his adoration for the gorgeous, expansive garden. In the center was a spade shaped maze, surrounded by the blue and red flowers and a royal favourite: white roses.

At the center of the elaborate maze was a beautiful was a beautiful marble fountain flowing with the purest and clearest water in the kingdom; coming straight from an underground spring directly underneath the palace. There, on the ledge of the fountain, sat Alfred's father. His slightly greying hair shone under the setting sun and his eyes glowed contently as he scanned the worn leather book in his hands. Alfred walked over to him quietly and sat down next to him. He knew that his father already noticed his presence, but he was polite and let his father finish his reading.

"So, son," he began, folding up his reading glasses and closing the book," How was your first day? Find anyone interesting?"

"Well…" Alfred trailed, not knowing how to tell his father about his predicament," I found someone interesting, but not someone to marry…" His father looked at him, perplexed.

"What do you mean?"

Alfred explained what happened in London, about Arthur and their adventures in the city, and about his want to keep him as a friend. As an afterthought he told his father about what he asked of Arthur as a sort of joke, but the king actually jumped at the idea.

"Alfred, I knew you were a genius!" Alfred stared wide-eyed at his father in confusion as he patted the boy on the shoulder, "Getting someone your age to help you decide, it's brilliant! _And_ it's someone who knows the streets and its' people! You know, son, London is probably the best city to find a wife, but, of course, you could take your friend elsewhere to find a girl-"

"Wait," Alfred interjected his fathers' long rant," I, I can bring him with me? Are you serious?"

"Well son, how many times to you find someone you really bond with? At your age it's really the best thing for you, especially with the pressure we started putting on you. I think this datorem friend of yours could help you figure out a path for you better than we can. I mean, we're all old ladies and men who don't know how you think."

Sometimes Alfred thought of how lucky he was to have such understanding parents. We all know most parents wouldn't let someone we just met help decide who we were going to marry, but Alfred's parents were one of a kind. He would occasionally think he didn't deserve the life he lived; barely doing anything but having everything at your fingertips.

"Now, I bet you had a tiring day, and you need to get up early tomorrow. Why don't we head on up to bed?" They both traveled silently back to the dark castle and parted ways, saying good night.

As Alfred lay in his bed, tucked under the blue silk sheets, he stared at the ceiling and a grin slid on his face. Now he wouldn't have to suffer through his decision alone, and he finally found a true friend. Living in a castle most of your life with the same boring people doesn't leave much for creating friendships. His travels out into the cities were the first time he was exposed to so many different people, and he enjoyed it. Alfred really felt lucky to find a friend so fast, even if it was a stuffy, bushy browed Brit.

**. . .**

Okay, so I was _going_ to update Monday, but I wasn't able to. I just so happened to have gotten sick over the weekend, _again_, so I didn't get the chapter done in time. Plus this holiday looks like it won't be very merry, but I'm working through it ^_^ Well, enough of my ranting, I hope you enjoyed and please review, they're all like mini Christmas presents, except…not on or anywhere near Christmas most of the time… Oh well, see you next time my little lemon drops!

**~Miss Stealer**


	3. The Prince's Heroic Plan

**Miss Stealer:** Welcome back~! Oh, and Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year to all of you. I hope your new years was AWESOME. I know I was supposed to update weeks ago, but some stuff has happened (I'll explain at the bottom). Anyways, here's chapter 3! I'm actually really surprised people like this, it makes me _very_ happy. ^_^ So I hope you enjoy the chappy!

**. . .**

"Alfred, sweetie, I know you seem to like this boy, but don't put too much faith in- what's his name? Arthur?" Queen Mariel was sitting with her son in one of the many sittings rooms doing her needle point. Alfred was slung over the arms of a leather chair across the room, having just told his mother about his adventure the day before. He sighed and waited for her inevitable rant.

"Darling, for one, he's obviously a peasant. Now, I'm not saying peasants are bad people, but you now that most of them would do absolutely anything to get money. He could be using you!" Alfred was about to angrily protest, but his mother cut him off. "Don't tell me I'm wrong, mister! Some will! _And_ he's a datorem. There's nothing wrong with them, either, but your uncle's son's friend was a datorem peasant and look where they ended up! They're even more desperate! All I'm saying, Alfred, is to be careful!"

"Mom-"

"You shouldn't be around him, or anyone for that matter, without a bodyguard. Oh! And don't forget to always wash when you come home-"

"_Mom_-"

"You never know what kinds of things are lurking around those types of people. Datorems are notorious for-"

"Mom!" The Queen stopped in her nagging to look at her son, surprised. Alfred barely raised his voice at his parents, even when he was happy. "What the _hell_, mom?"

"Alfred! Don't talk to me like that! I'm only trying to keep you safe!" Alfred sighed. He knew it was a lost cause to get his mother to stop being, well, a mother. Then, recalling the comment she almost made about datorems, Alfred felt the need to show his mom just how wrong she was about Arthur. His brilliant plan couldn't fail! He'd bring Arthur to the palace, Alfred would show his mother that he was safe, Arthur would most likely be happy to be treated like royalty, and everyone would live happily ever after! It was perfect! Alfred jumped out of his chair and kissed his mother on the cheek.

"I know, I know. Hey, I'll be back later! Love ya!"

"Wait, where are you headed off to?"

"Out! See ya mom!" The queen sighed and went back to her needle work, hoping her son wouldn't get into too much trouble.

**. . .**

Alfred peeked over the corner of the wall he was hiding behind. He looked around and saw that no guards were around, and neither was Jack Yao. Slipping out of his hiding spot, Alfred headed into the horse stable and to his prized horse Nova. (Ha! It had significance, see?) The black horse started at his sudden appearance and he quickly shushed her with a carrot and a few strokes to her long nose.

"Hush, Nova. We're gonna go on an adventure, kay?" Nova neighed in response and Alfred chuckled, leading her out of the pen and saddling her up. Before heading out he checked again to see if anyone was around and, once he saw the coast was clear, Alfred mounted the horse and set off for the England County.

Now, mind you, Alfred never really thought things through very often, and this is one of those times. Of course his plan was pretty well thought out, except for the fact that the England County was _pretty_ far away from the Spade Palace. Eight hours, to be exact. Alfred, however, didn't realize this fact until about two hours into his journey. Swearing to himself, he figured he was fortunate enough to have left at around eight in the morning, which gave him an arrival time of about four in the afternoon. Be that as it may, he was not up for sixteen hours of travelling in one day, even for his awesome plan. He figured that if Arthur didn't cooperate right away, he'd have to stay with him for the night. In all honesty, to Alfred, that didn't sound too bad. So, the more he thought about his situation, the better it started to sound.

He arrived at the England County a little after four with an empty stomach and a mission. Well, technically two. The first was to eat. Along the way Nova and Alfred had eaten all the food they had brought for the trip (there and back). The second was to find Arthur. Alfred was a bit worried he wouldn't be able to find him in the large city, but figured if he looked around the places they were the other day he could find him easily. _'Yeah, this'll totally be easy! I'll find Artie in no time!'_

Wrong.

Alfred checked all of the streets they had traveled before, and even some he didn't recognize at all, but he still couldn't find Arthur. He would've asked around for him if it weren't for the attention he would get (He pretty much had a sign above his head that said: PRINCE). At the rate he was going, he pretty much had no other choice than to stay the night in London.

"Aw crap, mom's gonna kill me." Alfred said to himself as he entered one of the nicer places for overnight stay in the city. To the right were several crowded tables of men and women drinking, playing games, or just talking. The left had a hall leading to a restaurant of sorts and a stairwell leading to the different floors. The entire place had a sort of dingy feel to it, but at the moment Alfred couldn't care less. While walking toward the front desk, which looked relatively close to a bar, Alfred was looking all around him and not paying attention to where he was going, bumping into someone in the process. The stranger stumbled and dropped a bucket of water, soaking half of Alfred's silk pants and shoes.

"Oh gee, man, I'm sorry-!"

"No, it was my fault I'm incredibly sorry, sir-"They both looked at each other and Alfred found himself staring into familiar emerald green eyes. A smile spread across his face while Arthur's eyes rolled and he silently cursed under his breath.

"Arthur!" Alfred hugged Arthur tightly, causing him to startle ad push the prince away.

"Damnit, git, what are you doing here?" Arthur smoothed his dirty, too-small clothes and started to clean up the mess Alfred caused.

"I came looking for you!" Alfred stooped down to help, "I came here a couple of hours ago, but I couldn't find you! Then it started getting dark and I don't really wanna go back to the palace so late at night, plus I'm tired and hungry and-"

"Shut up, you're rambling." The datorem glared at Alfred and he blushed, embarrassed.

"Sorry, I'm just kinda happy I finally found ya!"

"Yes, well, as much as I appreciate the gesture I need to-"

"'EY!" Arthur paled and stood up straight as an older man, in about his late thirties, came up to the boys and roughly grabbed Arthur's arm. "Did you do this, you dirty datorem? Spillin' suds all over me customers an' makin' 'em clean it up with you?"

"Excuse me, sir, but it was actually my fault." Alfred intervened, afraid the man would begin to get physical.

"Hmpf, don't cover 'im, lad. 'E was just in the wrong place again. I'll take care of 'im. Don't you worry." Alfred could see Arthur was scared, but his face stayed composed. He came up with another awesomely heroic plan.

"No!" they both looked at the prince, "Uh, let-let me do it!"

Arthur's eyes widened in betrayal and the older man smiled crookedly. "'Ere then." He threw Arthur into Alfred's arms, "Take 'im out back and show 'im. Don't go easy, either."

"Heheh, will do." Alfred started to drag Arthur out of the building as he started to try to get out of the prince's hold. They entered the back street and Arthur was yelling curses at Alfred and wiggling around violently.

"Hey." Alfred said, trying to get the datorem to settle down, "Hey!" Arthur stopped his movements and Alfred smiled, letting him go.

"Dude, I'm not gonna hurt you! It was just part of my awesome plan!"

"Your what?" Arthur huffed.

"My awesome plan to get you out of there and save you! Pretty heroic, wasn't it?"

"…So, you're not going to harm me?" Arthur asked hesitantly.

"Nope!" Alfred smiled largely, making his eyes squint. Arthur smacked him as hard as he could, making the prince turn his head at the force. "Hey, what was that for?! I totally saved you!"

"Don't you ever, and I mean _ever_, scare me that bloody bad again, you hear me?" Arthur demanded; his tone very serious and cold.

"Yeah dude," Alfred calmly agreed, feeling slightly dejected and scared at Arthur's threat," I-I promise."

The two stood there in the alley way, quietly listening to the loud noises emanating from the hotel behind them. Alfred shifted uncomfortably, thinking about what they both should do at this point, and Arthur was wondering why in the world the _prince_ of all people took time to see _him_.

They were quite an odd sight, too. A well groomed royal dressed in silks and velvets hanging around a street datorem from the poorest part of London who was barely covered by a too-large, itchy cotton shirt and baggy shorts and covered in dirt and bruises. Yeah, not the most common thing you see in these streets.

Now that he thought about it, Arthur didn't think he enjoyed the attention they received. Jealous eyes would wander to him and most likely lead to a beating or two. He hung his head as he thought and could only see the bad things in his and Alfred's 'friendship'. He was startled when Alfred put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, dude, you okay?" Arthur looked into Alfred's eyes and numbly nodded, but it seemed as though Alfred was a bit smarter than he lead on. "Hey, don't be that way, let's go."

Alfred pulled Arthur to where he tied up Nova and put the datorem onto the gentle beast. He was about to jump on too, but stopped and told Arthur to wait, then ran off into the hotel again. Arthur sat awkwardly on Nova, unsure of what was happening, but stayed put like he was asked. The prince soon came back and hopped on the horse's back, told Arthur to hold on, and took off down the street.

Behind them, Arthur saw the owner of the hotel come out and start yelling angrily in their direction, but they were too far away to hear what was being said. He gripped onto Alfred in front of him as they suddenly turned a sharp left toward the city gates.

"Where in the bloody hell are you taking me?!" Arthur shouted above the sound of Nova's hooves smacking against the pavement. Alfred chuckled.

"You'll see, just wait!" Alfred briefly looked back and smiled brightly at his self-proclaimed best friend, "It might be a while, but it's totally worth it!"

Arthur looked around at the now dark sky and rolled his eyes, but prepared himself for the apparently long trip ahead.

**. . .**

At around one in the morning the duo arrived at the ornate front gates to the Spade Palace. Arthur had fallen asleep after their last food break and was lying comfortably snuggled against Alfred's back. The prince figured that when they got inside, he would have two different hells to pay. Maybe three. Oh well, he was only sure he'd get his ass chewed by more than one point of authority.

He quietly lead Nova over to the stables and decided not to wake the datorem up, so gingerly picked Arthur up and headed into the now quiet palace. He tiptoed through the foyer and up the grand staircase. Half way through he stopped and took a breather (carrying another person through large rooms and up flights stairs gets tiring) then opened his bed-chamber door as best as he could with limited use of his hands. While he was placing the sleeping datorem on the bed, he was thinking about how much fun the two would have once Arthur woke up.

Yeah. That'll totally work out well…

Alfred tucked the datorem in and went over to his large, plush couch at the foot of the bed and fell asleep with a goofy smile on his face.

**. . .**

Okay, so, let me explain. One: this is a really short chapter, I apologize. It has to do with point two. Two: I've been _really_ busy over the past three weeks. First my grandmother died and I've had to help clear out her house (her husband died a year ago so no one is living there). Second, I got the flu for a week after from stress and couldn't move without moaning in pain. Third, my friend and I have started a cosplay group and have been trying to get it up and running. I'm so sorry for not updating T-T I hope you're all not angry…. But I'll try to get an update schedule and get through this. Anywhoozles, I hope you enjoyed and come back for more, because there will most definitely be more ^_^ Keep Calm and Lemon On, my little lemon drops. Until next time!

**~Miss Stealer**


	4. The Royal Kidnapper

**Miss Stealer**: Okay, so, that chapter didn't meet my standards -_- I'm a very picky person and demand and expect so much from myself. Oh, and **Tono Radish**: not all are gay, they just have the ability to conceive, which has something to do with the earth's connection with the Cards (I might explain that later). And because I'm evil, I made adoption something to be looked down upon. They believe if you're alone with no parents that you need to build up your reputation to honor those who brought you into life, even if they didn't want you. That's also kind of how my dad thinks about it O-O. Anywhozzles, now I give you LONGER CHAPTER :D Please enjoy~

**Disclaimer**: NOT MINE….TAT

**. . .**

"ALFRED!" The prince awoke from his rather uncomfortable makeshift bed and was greeted by the angry faces of the Queen and Jack. Jack Yao, however, held his glare to the bed where Arthur was resting.

Alfred blinked blearily up at them and motioned to be quiet while pointing at Arthur's sleeping form. His mother curtly pointed to the door and the three left the datorem in the bed-chamber. As soon as they stepped outside, Alfred was bombarded by the two of them.

"Alfred, we were so worried, you shouldn't go out like that-"his mother started, bringing him into a bone crushing embrace.

"Prince Alfred, you _know_ it is forbidden to leave the castle that late. Being without guards makes that even worse! And not to mention that street rat you brought along with you-"

"Hey!" Alfred interrupted the scolding jack," Arthur is _not_ a 'street rat'! Plus, I brought him here so you could see that! But you guys gotta be quiet so he can sleep, 'cuz if he wakes up now without and explanation he'll be super pissed."

"So you basically _kidnapped_ him?!" his mother cried in horror, but Alfred shushed her.

"Well, it wasn't really kidnapping! I swear! You see, I told him I'd take him somewhere, but I just happened to leave out where exactly." Jack Yao threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Gods! Prince Alfred this is terrible and idiotic on your part. How will we keep this a secret?!" He turned to the prince angrily," Wake the datorem right now and send him back to where you took him from!" Alfred glared at the jack as Queen Mariel tried to calm them both down gently.

"You know what, fine." Alfred spat at the jack," I will! He doesn't deserve to be treated like a 'street rat' in his country's own fucking palace." The prince shoved his way to his door and swung it open, planning to take Arthur somewhere more welcoming, but was surprised to be greeted by a vase flying past his head. The crash of it hitting the wall behind him made the three previously arguing royals stop and stare. Alfred groaned and hit his head on the corner of the door repeatedly.

"Crap…" He saw Arthur glaring angrily at him, his green eyes burning brightly with anger and confusion. Arthur strode toward him and without breaking eye contact, smacked Alfred so hard it stung even his hand.

"How dare you!" he shouted, pointing his finger accusingly at the prince. "You brought me to the bloody palace without my knowledge after I repeatedly denied your requests and pleads! This is _kidnapping_ 'your royal highness'!

He continued to lecture Alfred about why his actions were uncalled for, in his eyes, while the jack and queen stared at the two boys' interaction. After a while, Alfred rolled his eyes and started to reluctantly agree, saying "uhuh" and "yeah, I know" just like one would do to a parent. Queen Mariel started to giggle at the way they were acting, but Jack Yao still continued to glare angrily at the "intruder". The queen let a tiny little snort out and the noise alerted Arthur of their audience. He stopped his rant and stared at them with a blush of embarrassment while sputtering apologies. Mariel smiled.

"Oh, don't fret, dear." She turned to her son," Alright, I'll at least give him a chance; just don't get into any trouble, especially with your father. Come on, Yao." She motioned for the jack to leave the two boys. He walked off in a huff, grumbling to himself as the queen stayed back a moment to whisper to Alfred, "Get him washed and clothed. You know what time supper is, and be aware that Yao might inform Teddy of your guest." Then walked off to where the irritated jack disappeared.

"C'mon," Alfred grabbed Arthur's arm and pulled him back into his bed-chamber. He sat the angry datorem on his bed and set off to the other side of the room. The prince wordlessly went into his huge closet and took out an old pair of clothes, still very fancy, while listening to the angry Brit continue to yell at him from his bed. He took the clothes and placed them on a counter in his overly large bathroom and began to draw a hot bath. At this point, Arthur was starting to question Alfred on what he was doing, but the prince just ignored him as he got everything set up. Alfred took the datorem by the arm again and pushed him towards the now ready bathroom.

"'Ey! What the bloody hell do you think you're doing with me now?"

"Just use it, dude! You're gonna need to for later!"

"Later? What the- hey! Where are you going?" Alfred turned around near the door and smiled at Arthur.

"I'm gonna give you some privacy. Plus, I need to find someone, so I'll be back in a bit. Don't miss me too much." He winked at the confused datorem and left without another word. Arthur stood in the now silent room, taking time to actually look at the prince's room. To him, it was really quite beautiful and much more extravagant than anything he'd ever seen. Even the bathroom looked pristine and was probably the size of his living quarters at the hotel that were shared with the others he worked with.

He looked around, feeling as if he was about to do something he shouldn't, and closed the bathroom door, then began to strip out of his dirty rags. The bathtub had sweet smelling, steaming hot water inside it. Sliding in, Arthur sighed at the wonderful feeling of the water caressing his dry skin and achy body. He spotted a vial of liquid next to the tub and picked it up, smelling its contents. It smelled similar to the water's own scent and, upon further investigation, had a slimy texture that made bubbles when stimulated. He was confused at first, but realized that this was probably the thing that kept Alfred's hair clean and shiny, so Arthur decided to use it on his own dirty blonde hair.

He stayed in the warm water until it started to become lukewarm and got out feeling quite refreshed. While he was drying off, he saw the clothing put aside by Alfred and held them up to his slender form. They were slightly big, and Arthur marveled at the feel of the silk shirt and velvet vest, along with the soft stockings and even the beautiful leather shoes. As he put them on, he thought about the past two days. In a matter of forty-eight hours, he had gone from getting beat up in the back of alleys and working at a shabby hotel for almost nothing to bathing in the prince of the Spade's bathroom and wearing his clothing. He briefly wondered how in the world it all happened, but then decided to look around a bit more to see if he could find anything entertaining.

**. . .**

Meanwhile, Alfred was searching the lower floors of the castle, which were mostly for servants and workers, for a certain person. He found them in the kitchen with about eleven others as she was kneading dough.

"Alfie! I haven't seen you down here in a while, what brings you?" She asked as the others greeted the prince as well.

"What, can't I just come down here to visit my bestie?" Alfred leaned up against the counter and picked up an apple from a large basket and bit into it," So, Sabina, I've got a couple of favors to ask of you. Could you spare some snacks? I know it's early and everything, but a got a friend who could really use a bite."

"Well," Sabina drawled out playfully, slowing her kneading," Maybe…Alright, I can give you a bit. Who's it for?"

"Y'know that guy I told you about? Arthur? Well, I brought him here to help me with that stupid wife-finding mission! I can tell he's really super smart and a great judge of character." Sabina rolled her eyes as she prepared a try of snacks," I'm totally smart for finding someone to help, even dad said so!" Alfred beamed happily at the maid who looked at him skeptically.

"Alfie, you _do_ realize you're talking about him like you like him, right?" Sabina handed him a silver tray of food as he raised a blonde eyebrow at her.

"What? No I don't! He's like, my best friend!"

"After barely even a week? Whatever you say…" She muttered and pushed Alfred toward the kitchen's swinging doors. "Alright, now get. I don't wanna het in trouble and I sure as hell don't wanna listen to you ramble on about "Arthur this" and "Arthur that". Shoo!" Her words sounded harsh, but the smile on her face ruined the illusion of annoyance. They both laughed.

"Oh, Bina, you wound me so!" Alfred feigned hurt and clutched his heart with one hand, nearly making the tray fall. He laughed sheepishly and left with a hasty goodbye, setting off for his room to find Arthur. Briefly he worried if the datorem had left his room and possibly the palace, but happily dismissed his concern when he saw Arthur sitting on the balcony attached to the bed-chamber in the sun, reading one of Alfred's many books.

He saw that Arthur had actually listened to him and cleaned up, and even changed into the clothes he left out for him. You could hardly tell that he had lived on the streets just a day before; he looked like royalty. The light blue, pin-stripe shirt beneath the dark blue vest complimented the light colour of Arthur's sandy blonde hair and brought out the shining emerald eyes set on his pale face. The light brown trousers were slightly baggy, but were neatly tucked into surprisingly fitting dark brown riding boots. Alfred honestly almost didn't recognize the other boy. He smiled and snuck up behind Arthur quietly.

"Boo!" Alfred laughed loudly as Arthur yelped and jumped in his seat, his book flying to the floor. He turned and glared at the prince.

"Bloody hell, you nearly scared the living daylights out of me, you twat!" Alfred chuckled and set down the tray on a side table.

"Jeeze Artie, can't you smile for once? Or maybe not insult me?"

"It's not _y_ fault you're an insufferable git all the time." Arthur stared at the food longingly, but ignored the ache in his stomach, and the loud growl it gave. Picking up the book, he continued reading silently. Alfred frowned and put a spoonful of what he assumed to be pudding next to Arthur's mouth.

"C'mon~ you know you want it! Don't deny the…pudding? At least I think it'd pudding…" Alfred smelled the bowl of the substance and grimaced; bread pudding.

"I'm not going to eat something you don't know-"Arthur was cut off when Alfred shoved the spoon into his mouth. He choked, but found he enjoyed the taste.

"I hate bread pudding!"

"Well," Arthur said quietly, taking another spoonful, "I don't see what's so bad about it…"

Alfred smiled. "That's good; you look like you need it! Eat up, you look starved and supper's really late."

"Ah, alright…" The two fell into silence as Arthur sat watching him (like a creeper). He picked up two unused spoons and started to play with them like toy soldiers as Arthur spectated, amused. Then Alfred ground them together and laughed, and Arthur looked away, scoffing at the prince's childish behavior. Both looked at each other for a moment and laughed.

**. . .**

Throughout the day Alfred dragged Arthur around the palace, showing him favourite places and good friends. Arthur took an immediate liking to Sabina, and the two discussed having to put up with the hyper prince (at which Alfred pouted). Though they were actually having a fairly nice time exploring, they didn't notice the reappearing, glaring eyes directed toward the, for once, happy datorem.

The time for supper was late, but it seemed too early for the boys. Alfred explained that they were all required to eat as a "family". Those at the table were to be the king, queen, prince, jack, and any guest present. Alfred and Arthur were slightly late, seeing as both the queen and her husband were already seated and conversing, Arthur grew somewhat nervous, his good mood fading away. The prince reassured him by patting his shoulder, and then pushed the datorem forward through the doors. At their sudden entrance, the king and queen stopped their conversation.

"Hello, boys!" Queen Mariel stood up to hug both Alfred and Arthur which startled the frazzled datorem even more.

"So, you're the one Al brought to help, huh?" King Theodore seemed to tower over Arthur, his stare blank. "Yao told me about you…"

Everyone stayed silent as the king assessed the datorem before him. Arthur hid his worry by staring straight ahead at the king's face and standing completely rigid. Theodore suddenly smiled and brought him in for a one-armed hug.

"But I won't listen to him for once! You look like a fine lad. Come, sit and join us for supper." Arthur glanced at Alfred and both sighed in relief, sitting down next to each other. Neither of the royals present noticed the jack's absence, nor questioned it.

After the initial awkwardness of the situation, they all fell into a casual conversation as they ate. Arthur began to think that his "predicament" had actually turned out quite well. _'Time to start thinking a bit optimistically, I suppose.'_ Supper concluded with a treat of bread pudding, which delighted Arthur and disappointed Alfred, then all were free to prepare for bed. Alfred lead his friend to the floor of his bed-chamber and opened the door across the hall from his.

"You can have this room. I had Bina get some clothes for you, so you can find them in the closet. Hope it's all okay for you!" Alfred explained as he showed the other boy around the room. "Sleep all ya want, but tomorrow we got work to do. And, hey," he turned to Arthur with a serious face," thanks for helpin' me out, dude. Even though I kinda rushed it, I just _really_ need the help…"

"Yes, I realized that fact a while ago." Arthur said. "After spending entire bleeding day with you I can already tell what your weak points in this particular area would be…and there are a lot."

"I know…" Alfred pouted. Arthur shook his head and started to push the dejected prince out of his new bed-camber.

"But, I won't be able to assist you if we both don't get any sleep, git."

Alfred smiled widely at Arthur's official, kinda, agreement. He was so excited that his smile didn't diminish at all when the datorem slammed the door shut. Even while he was dressing for bed the smile was tightly fastened onto his face. As he was finishing up his nightly routine, Alfred heard a knock on his door. He jumped over to it and opened it just a crack.

"Oh, hey Jack Yao!" Alfred greeted, opening the door fully, "What can I do ya for?"

"Prince Alfred, are you _sure_ you require the assistance of that- of _Arthur_?" Yao spit out the datorems' name as if it were a sour nurcrat. (A/N: Sour nurcrats are like lemons, but furry on the outside like peaches and like green watermelons inside…don't ask how I came up with _that_)

"Well, yeah, 'course I am! He's really smart and, who knows, he could have your job one day! Haha! Well, better hit the hay! Night dude!" Alfred closed the door before Yao could answer back and jumped into bed, confused about the encounter, but happy about the day to come.

Outside the door, Jack Yao stood there speechless. _'That datorem? Have my job? We'll see about that…'_ He walked down to his own bed-chamber, thinking of a way to get rid of Prince Alfred's companion and when to strike.

**. . .**

Well, here's chapter 4! I've been using all of my free time *cough*andstudytime*cough* to finish it the way I wanted. As you may have noticed, I'm making a couple of characters OOC to fit with the plot. Mostly Yao. I need him to be a super meanie. ^_^

So, does anyone have any ideas of what Mr. Yao will do to get rid of our little Brit? I haven't asked in a while, but please review! Tell me what you like, don't like, want, don't want, any ideas for future chapters, or just tell me what you had for dinner. Doesn't matter to me, as long as that number goes up ;D Anyways, I'll see ya next week my little lemon drops! Keep Calm and Lemon On!

**~Miss Stealer**


	5. Let's Get Crackin!

**Miss Stealer**: Welcome back! I have another chapter for ya, fresh from my notebook! I had a five day weekend and the two days of finals to finish this, so I hope it's good! I put semi-fluff…I think…in the beginning, I thought they deserved it ;P There's finally gonna be some of our original quest in here and funny moments, so I hope you guys enjoy. By the way, thanks for the reviews, it keeps me motivated ;D So thanks guys!

**Disclaimer**: If I owned this, all of my favourite pairings would be true. Are they? Not even close...

**. . .**

"Artie!" Arthur barely had time to brace himself, or even fully wake up, before the prince jumped on his bed excitedly. "Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

"Ughh...what is it, Cards Day?" Arthur sat up and adjusted his eyes to the bright light shining mockingly right in his face. "Gods, get off, you git!" He pushed the larger boy off of his bed and Alfred landed on the floor with a heavy 'thump'. He popped right back up, unfazed, a second later and attempted to pull the sleepy datorem out of bed.

"C'mon, get up! We gotta go today!"

"Oh, bugger off. I know that, just let me get ready in peace!"

"'Kay!" Alfred ran to the door and Arthur saw he wasn't even dressed yet either, "Just hurry up! I bet I'll be done before you!" Arthur sighed and wondered, and dreaded, if every morning would be like this. He hoped to the gods it wouldn't be.

He put on a pair of clothes he found in his wardrobe (one of many, he noted) and braced himself for the day ahead. It was sure to be…interesting, to say the least. Although he would _never_ admit it out loud, Arthur was actually a bit excited himself. It was the first time he would go out into the city without being trampled over or shooed away by angry shop keepers. He would finally be a part of the higher ups, and Arthur felt a sense of superiority swell up in his chest.

"Artie!" Arthur heard Alfred whine his name through the door. He opened it and saw the prince practically bouncing as he smiled at the datorem. "Ready to go?"

"Don't we have to eat-"

"Yeah, yeah, Bina's got some stuff downstairs. Let's go!" Alfred dragged the other boy through the halls quickly, barely knocking over passing servants and several breakable items. Sabina was waiting for the pair in the large kitchen with two plates of steaming food. Alfred greeted her cheerfully and dug right in.

"May I ask _why_ we are eating here and not somewhere more suitable?" Arthur inquired, but began to eat the perfectly cooked eggs and bacon (so original, I know) in front of him.

"Alfie always eats breakfast down here." Sabina answered, leaning onto the table, "Don't know why, but Id gather it's probably to get away from the 'evil wrath of Jack Yao'. Poor boy gets bombarded with work every time the jack spots him."

At the mention of Jack Yao, Arthur paused to think about the man's behavior since he met him. Even though he knew nothing about the jack and how he would normally act, but he just seemed strange to Arthur…Brushing the thoughts off, Arthur continued to eat as Sabina and Alfred talked. When they finished, they bid the older girl farewell and Alfred lead his new "assistant" to the stables to bring the horses around to their waiting carriage.

"Don't you normally have people do this for you?" Arthur questioned.

"Only sometimes," Alfred replied softly, "but I really like picking the horses. I know which ones work together." He winked and they both shared a small laugh. Arthur continued to follow the prince until he stopped at a familiar stall. "Nova! Hey girl!"

"Is she one we'll be using?" Arthur looked wearily at the large, familiar beast as Alfred lovingly stroked her long nose and chuckled.

"Nah, I gotta say hi to her every morning or else she gets antsy. Ain't she a beauty, though?"

"Yes, actually…she has a beautiful coat…" Alfred grinned at the two and grabbed a carrot from a bin, handing it to Arthur. "What's this for?"

"Go'n give it to her." Alfred smiled.

Arthur hesitated. The prince giggled and took the datorem's hand, guiding it to Nova's mouth. Her large lips ticked Arthur's palm as she took the treat and he smiled softly.

"Well, looks like she likes you! Awesome!" Alfred patted her once more and went over to a different stall. "'Kay, Bear, you get to ride with Maggie today!"

The two got Bear, a gentle horse despite the name with a pure brown coat, and Maggie, a younger black and white paint mare, hooked up to a carriage. Not long after they were on their way, occupying themselves by playing childish games and talking. It seemed too soon when they arrived in the city. The feeling of superiority came back to Arthur as the boys stepped out of the, what he finally realized was, very ornate carriage. Nobles that were casually shopping stopped to stare at the pair, recognizing the hyper prince immediately, and wondering amongst themselves who his unusual companion was. Beggars also came out of their hiding spots to hope they would take pity on them.

As Arthur looked at them, he felt a twinge of hurt in his heart. He knew what they were feeling; hell, he probably felt worse because of what he was. Turning to Alfred he asked, without thinking, if he had any money to spare. Alfred, of course, gave him a bag full of gold coins. None were tainted silver or dingy copper; so many gold coins in one place had never been seen by the datorem. Arthur got over his awe and walked away from Alfred and directly towards the group of seven or eight beggars.

Among them, he saw two familiar faces. Two men from the day Alfred saved him. Two men that harassed him for being a datorem. Two men that sent a spark of anger through his heart. As he walked to the group, they seemed to cower away slightly. Instead of acting on his anger, Arthur went up to the two men first, bending down to their level on the ground. He gently took both of their hands and, without breaking eye contact, put two coins in each, then did the same to the others in the group.

They stared at him and the coins, and thanked him ecstatically. Arthur smiled, nodded his head, and then walked back to a shocked and speechless prince.

"Let's go, the more time we waste the closer you get to ruining your life…"

**. . .**

"Alfred, we've gotten _nothing_ done. We can't take _another_ break!"

"Aww, c'mon Artie!" Alfred whined for the umpteenth time that day, "I'm hungry! Let's just eat, and _then_ we can get back to work. Please~?"

"Fine," Arthur sighed in defeat as he was pulled into a nearby elegant, at least to him, restaurant. "But we better get to work right after!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's just eat, dude!" Alfred yet again took Arthur's hand and led him to a table near a large window. Through it they were able to see the hustle and bustle of the city streets; the people in their element. A waiter came to their table immediately (status biotches) and took their order; Alfred's choice much larger than Arthur's. The two sat in a comfortable silence until a young girl approached them.

She was a bit taller than Arthur, but certainly smaller than Alfred, and was wearing an expensive, silk gown of various shades of purple. Her hair was mousy brown and in a braided bun that slightly shook when she giggled. "Excuse me," she said, mostly to Alfred," Would you like to join me and my friends?"

Alfred looked slightly shocked at glanced at Arthur for help, but the datorem continued to look out the window with a scowl on his face. "Uhh, sure," he laughed nervously," M-mind if I bring my friend too?"

"Oh," the girl seemed to just notice Arthur's presence," Sure, sure. My name's Martha, by the way."

"Nice to meet ya, Martha." The prince got up from his chair, "C'mon Artie, I ain't gonna leave you alone!" Arthur got up as well and grimaced.

"Oh, _Gods_ your grammar is atrocious…" They were led by Martha to a small table with two other girls already occupying it. One had long blonde hair and the other had black hair tied in a side braid. As soon as Alfred came into their view, they all but drooled over him and crowded around his seat. From what Arthur could tell, from his great view _standing up_, that the young ladies were all of noble blood, judging by their clothes and expensive taste in dining. Either one of them would be a suitable choice for the prince, but poor Alfred looked like he had been thrown into the lion's den.

Arthur opted to sit at a nearby table and ordered himself a cup of tea (put on Alfred's bill of course). He occasionally watched the group, snickering at the highly uncomfortable look Alfred was trying to hide. However, he couldn't watch for long before he would start to feel left out. Not that he wanted to be tackled by those gaudy noblewomen or be bombarded with questions. He just started to think about the reality of their quest.

If Alfred _did_ find a wife, he would be too occupied with her and his royal duties to remember Arthur. Not that he was _jealous_ or anything…Was he? Could he really be jealous of a woman he didn't even know yet when he himself had only spent a few days with Alfred? _'I'm overthinking this…Me, jealous? Preposterous…'_

Since Alfred was clearly busy, the waiter came back and handed the bill to Arthur, which he dare not look at lest he have a mini heart attack. More girls had joined the table and Alfred looked ready to run away with his tail between his legs. Deciding to help his friend out, Arthur came and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Alfred, we might need to pay and leave-"

"Hey! His majesty just got here!" One girl interrupted, gaining the attention of the others.

"Yeah, and he can stay if he wants!" They all started whining until one of the girls from earlier, the blonde, spoke up.

"Hey, wait, are you a datorem?"

"Oh my gosh, what is a _datorem_ doing with the _prince_?" Alfred immediately changed his mood and stood up defensively.

"Woah, don't go bashing on Artie! He's my best bro!" Alfred put his arm around Arthur's shoulder as emphasis as Arthur blushed.

"Alfred, let it go. Let's just leave-"

"Oh no." Another girl piped in," Don't tell me…his majesty's..._gay_?"

They all started to gasp and murmur to themselves, then started shouting questions at the pair. Like 'are you two together?' and 'is that why you weren't staring at me?' Eventually it became too much for them and they snuck their way out of the crowd of women as they started to make up rumors sure to bite them both in the ass later on. Their waiter tried to get their attention so as to pay the bill, but the two just ran out hurriedly, ignoring the stares from other patrons who had overheard the group of yelling noblewomen.

They could hear the girls searching for them, and quite possibly some guards mixed in with them as well. As quickly as they could, Alfred and Arthur wove through the crowd to lose anyone following. In the process, however, they knocked over a fruit stand and several passerby's. Both laughing, they ran together through alley ways and stores until they came to stop for breath on, what looked like, the other side of town.

Arthur held himself up by leaning against a wall as he panted, while Alfred doubled over laughing, holding his sides. "That was so fun! Let's do it again!"

"I, I don't think that would be a very wise decision…" Arthur was still trying to catch his breath. Despite his large appetite, for very unhealthy foods, no less, the prince was very fast, and apparently very athletic. Arthur almost lost him several times during their 'escape'.

"Aww, okay. But you gotta admit, that was pretty awesome, right?"

"Sure," Arthur chuckled," Now, would you mind getting up so we can continue-"

"Artie," Alfred whined," we practically got chased out of there, and it was technically _your_ fault! Can we just _not_?" The datorem felt offended at being accused of starting the whole mess with the noblewomen. _'It's most certainly not _my_ fault…If Alfred never agreed to sit with that woman in the first place nothing would've happened…'_

"Well, fine then," Arthur snapped, some of his offense seeping into his words, "I'll just go back while you dilly dally here." He swiftly turned around and started to briskly walk back the way they came, ignoring the pleading prince behind him. If he was just going to 'cause trouble', then he just wouldn't help the stubborn prince at all. Arthur never took kindly to being accused of bad things that happen. It brought up too many memories he'd rather die than relive for even a second.

After walking for quite a while, Arthur felt he was slightly lost. He didn't remember so many trees being near the city square where the carriage was left. Continuing on, he found that he was going deeper and deeper into a forest. At first he was worried that he'd terribly lost his way, so he stopped to look around him. Nothing looked familiar; not even the direction he came from moments ago. _'Oh bullocks…'_

He tried to go back, but just ended up getting into a clearing he certainly didn't pass through on his way here. The datorem sighed and plopped down in the clearing, cursing himself and his bad luck.

"Wonderful…I leave that git for a second and _I_ get lost. Bunch of rubbish…" Arthur grumbled to himself. "That stupid idiot probably left, too…Damn it..." He sighed heavily again and held his head in his hands. This felt just like when he was a child. Come to think of it, he lifted his head up and looked around; the clearing actually _did_ look familiar.

Arthur crawled over to a tree on the outskirt, one much larger than the rest, and peered around its' trunk. There was a hole at the base, just small enough for a child to fit in. He smiled as he remembered the nights he stayed inside that tree, talking to the fairies of the forest (they exist here too!). Now that he was older, he wasn't able to see them, but he dismissed that thought and told himself they just weren't around.

He stuck his head inside the hole and saw the numerous carvings he made on the wood. The datorem didn't like to brag, and honestly thought he had no reason to, but he had been able to draw very good for a small child with no experience. They were pictures of a future he dreamed of; a future with a proper family and someone to love.

'_What silly, childish dreams…'_ Arthur thought to himself with a nostalgic smile. He didn't know how long he stayed in there reminiscing, but after a while, he drifted asleep. It was the first time in a long time that he actually felt like he was somewhere he belonged.

He felt at home.

**. . .**

Okay, that took a sappy turn, but that's okay! It'll actually work out Heheh…Anyway, I know I was supposed to update Wednesday, but I just started my new classes and they are the biggest pains in my ass I've had in a long time -_- Well, I hope you liked and please review! They keep me and the stories going! See you next week my little lemon drops! :D

**~Miss Stealer**


	6. Backgrounds in the Bush

**Miss Stealer:** Okay, I've gotta say, those reviews from the last chapter made me really, really happy ^_^ You guys should all write something just to feel that sense of pride and joy when someone likes it. I'm not gonna lecture you or anything, but I really do appreciate it :D Anywhozzles, you came here for UsUk, right? YAY! 'Cuz that's what you're getting! Enjoy! See ya at the bottom ;P

**. . .**

Alfred groaned loudly to himself. He knew he saw Arthur head into the forest, but the prince lost him while trailing the quick datorem. Of course he would never leave without his friend, but Alfred was seriously considering doing so at the rate he was going. It was almost like trying to find Arthur all over again.

He stopped to lean against a tree for a small break and observed his surroundings. There were many oak and cherry trees in the forest; the two most common in their country, but it wasn't overcrowded. The forest floor was littered with small, bright flowers of all colours.

Alfred bent down to look at a flower that looked almost exactly like Arthur's eyes; emerald, almost acidic green. Despite the colour, the flower itself was highly intricate and beautiful. He picked a few to get a better look and discovered it has a very sweet smell. As he was examining the flower, he saw something in the background. He walked toward it and noticed it was a pair of legs.

"Oh crap," Alfred whispered to himself, "Please don't be a dead body, please don't be a dead body, _please_ don't be a dead body…" He peeked around a nearby tree and into a clearing, seeing the top half of the body inside a tree. "AHH DEAD BODY!"

The body jerked and tried to sit up, banging its' head hard on the inside of the tree. A loud groan of pain was heard and echoed in the quiet forest. The figure slowly crawled out of the hole and a pair of bright green eyes glared at Alfred.

"Artie!" Alfred shouted in surprise," Finally found ya!" He pushed through the clearings' shrubbery, tripping in the process and landing on his face. Arthur snickered as he held his damaged forehead, but still glared at the prince. He got up unsteadily and gave Alfred a hard kick to the side.

"Owwy, why'd you do that?"

"You disturbed my sleep and made me knock my head on the damn tree, you bleeding prat!" Arthur yelled in annoyance," And you left me to get lost. How gentlemanly is that?"

"I did not! Plus, what're you doin' out here?" Alfred asked from his spot on the ground.

"I _was_ sleeping and enjoying myself, but now you've gone and ruined that too…" Arthur huffed.

"'_Too'_?" Alfred lifted his head up and stared curiously at the datorem, "What do ya mean 'too'? Did I do something wrong?" Arthur just sighed heavily at the prince's obliviousness and waved his hand dismissively. Sitting on a tree stump, he relived the pressure on his forehead and found he had cut himself fairly bad when he bonked his head. It felt as if there were a few splinters in his skin as well…

"Oh damn, I'm sorry, I didn't know it was that bad!" Arthur jumped when he heard Alfred's voice, seeing as he was lost in thought, and saw that the other boy was staring intently at his forehead. He hissed in pain when Alfred gently prodded the little cuts to see the damage. "Here, lemme help."

He took out a pocket handkerchief that he thought he'd never use and went to dampen it with his tongue, which Arthur was going to protest at, but was too late before the prince cleaned his cuts silently. Alfred chuckled as Arthur seemed to pout like a child. "That's unsanitary…"

"Well, Mr. Smarty-pants, do _you_ see and medicine or clean water stream anywhere near here?" Alfred didn't even wait for a response before huffing in victory and saying, "I didn't think so!"

Arthur grumbled to himself and sat still as Alfred continued to clean his forehead. They both sat in a comfortable silence that son grew awkward as Alfred pulled away as he finished. Arthur mumbled a 'thank you' and shifted away from the unusually silent prince.

"Hey," Arthur looked up at Alfred's cautious expression, "What made you so upset to make you get up and walk away like that? You really had me worried…"

"It's nothing, just forget about it…"

"Art, if it was nothing you wouldn't have run away like that!" Alfred pressed.

"I didn't run away, are you mad-"

"Look, if it was because I left ya out with those girls or the rumor thingy, I'm sorry, but they wouldn't leave me alone! I swear-!"

"It wasn't my fault!" Arthur yelled suddenly, stunning Alfred into silence. "It…it wasn't my fault, you twat…"

"What do you mean?" Arthur took a shaky breath and pointed accusingly at the prince.

"You blamed me for the ruckus. I will _not_ be blamed for something I did _not_ do, Alfred." Arthur glared icily at the prince as he stood across from the other. Alfred looked at his friend, confused, and stepped forward to calm Arthur down.

"Okay, Arthur, it wasn't your fault," the prince carefully said, placing a hand on Arthur's shoulder," But you don't gotta be so defensive about it, alright?"

Arthur's expression didn't falter; instead, it gained more malice. He roughly shook Alfred's hand from his shoulder and took a step back. "Of course I have to be defensive about it! I've been blamed too many times for too many things to put up with it anymore; and from _you_ no less!"

"W-what do you mean?" Alfred stuttered as he looked at his fuming friend wearily. Arthur seemed to slump his shoulders in defeat.

"I-I don't…it wasn't my fault…"

"Artie," Alfred held the datorem awkwardly as he started to sniffle, still confused as hell how this came up. "It's not your fault…but, _what_ isn't your fault, exactly?"

"Like I'd tell you…and let me go!"

"Not 'till you tell me!" Alfred squeezed Arthur as he squirmed in his hold for emphasis. Arthur was silent for a while, and Alfred almost didn't catch his hushed voice.

"Like _you'd_ want to know…"

"Dude, Arthur, of _course_ I wanna know! But, you know, I mean, if you don't wanna tell me that's- that's okay too…"

Arthur sighed heavily as Alfred stuttered and pulled out of the prince's arms, sitting down on the soft grass. Alfred immediately followed after and sat next to him, for once, patiently waiting in silence. "Are you sure you want to know? The reason seems stupid now…plus, my past isn't very humorous…"

"Only tell me what you wanna. I won't push." Alfred gave the datorem a soft smile, encouraging him to speak what was on his mind. Arthur took a deep breath.

**. . .**

"_Anne! I'm leaving, so be sure to call the doctor for little Smaragdus and get the boys out of the house for once, alright?" A tall man with slightly dirtied spectacles and unruly red hair bent down to kiss the cheek of his wife, Anne._

"_You know I will, Charles. I worry too much not too, and don't fret about the boys, they'll be helping with chores." Charles brushed her dirty blonde hair out of her face before saying farewell with a kiss and leaving for work. Anne moved to a small bedroom with four beds crammed into the tiny space. One of the smaller beds was occupied by a small boy; only the top of his head visible._

_Anne sat down on the bed and moved the covers to see the little boy underneath. His hair, like his mother, was a dirty blond and stuck to his forehead with sweat and the apples of his cheeks were a rosy red compared to his pale skin._

"_Hello, darling." She greeted softly, smiling when emerald green eyes cracked open to look at her dazedly. "I'm going to call on a doctor, so you just hold tight, okay my little Smaragdus?" The boy nodded weakly and Anne took off to complete her task._

"_Well, Anne," the doctor said as he sat up," he'll be fine in about a week, but it's nothing major. All datorems are susceptible to this because their bodies aren't able to handle certain functions like a woman can. Just keep him hydrated and make sure he doesn't move around too much."_

"_Thank you, Doctor Hillegass." Anne paid the man and escorted him out of their tiny house. Just as she was about to close the door, three boys came bounding in._

"_Viridi! Hyucinthu! Crystallus! Stop running around like that! You boys will either hurt yourselves or someone else!" She yelled at the boys. They ignored her and went on running, being careful, but still running. She sighed and ran her hand through her hair. "Alright boys, why don't you go on down to Mrs. Alvarez's field and burn that energy of yours?"_

_Immediately the boys cheered loudly and shouted gleeful 'I love you, mum's, causing their mother to hush them with a smile, as they ran once again out the door. The quiet that filled the house afterward calmed Anne and she went to check on her youngest son. He still lay were he had been for an entirety of two days, breathing laboriously and fitfully sleeping._

"_Arthur, darling, would you like anything to eat or drink?" She asked softly._

"_Can…can I have…tea?" Arthur asked timidly, waiting for rejection. Tea was highly expensive, so they never got much; only on very special dates, or when they had enough to buy it. The last was being saved by his mother, who loved tea dearly. Instead, his mother smiled and nodded. _

"_Of course, I was saving the last of it for a special occasion anyway." Arthur smiled giddily, well, as giddily as he could manage, and snuggled back into his nest of blankets as he waited._

_Anne went into the kitchen (it was more like an extension to the living/dining/general room of the house) and opened a high cabinet, grabbing a small bag of tea leaves; just enough for one cup. She set the cloth bag near the fire as she prepared the water to boil. As she waited, she sat on a dirty, wooden chair and rested her head in her palm._

_Her poor baby, her youngest son whom she loved dearly (and was considered her only child raised correctly) had been sick off and on ever since he was born. Now, it seemed he'd be ill for even longer. Anne had been so worried about her little Smaragdus, her little emerald, that she'd been losing sleep. How could she? Arthur was sick and she couldn't do a thing. That's what scared her the most._

_He was the only datorem in the family as well, so she felt the need and responsibility to be there for him. The men in the house didn't understand him like she did…_

_As she thought, her eyes drifted shut and she decided to briefly catch up with her lost hours of sleep, smiling contently._

_Arthur awoke to a thick air. _

_He sniffed. _

"_Fire…?" he mumbled, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. When he reopened them, all that he saw was red. Flames engulfed the majority of the house and the thick smoke made the datorem cough. He immediately threw off his blankets._

"_Fire!" he yelled franticly, "Mum! Mum, where are you?"_

_Arthur ran out of the burning room and straight into another, squinting his eyes and covering his mouth. He looked around for a way out, for his mother, when he heard part of the roof collapse in what used to be the kitchen area. The roof was cracking overhead and the fire around him was popping, burning small patches of his skin._

_Hissing at the small pitches of heat, he tried to back away from the falling debris, but tripped over an upturned table leg. He twisted and braced himself against the floor, only managing to scrape his knee. Sighing in relive, he hurriedly began to get up to run to the front door, but was stopped by a heavy piece of wood. The ceiling had collapsed again, and this time, right on top of Arthur's back._

_He screamed out in pain and he was pinned to the floor by the burning wood. He could feel the flames licking at his back, painting it with burns. His breath quickened as he tried to get enough air into his lungs, but all he inhaled was smoke as thick as dust. The datorem was almost convinced he would be consumed by the flames like his beloved home and he started to cry big, wet tears that made dirty trails on his sooty face._

_Suddenly he heard shouting; distant, but still there. Arthur struggled and looked up, seeing his red haired brother break open the front door with ease, but being bombarded with flames as soon as he did. Arthur cried out for his older brother, and he was overjoyed when the other boy spotted him. He quickly and carefully made his way over to the trapped boy, prying him out of the wood's hold and holding him close._

"_Arthur! It's alright, Allistor's 'ere to save ya."_

_The two exited the burning house; Arthur coughing violently and his eyes watering as he clutched the rough fabric of his brother's shirt. He was laid on the ground and Allistor got back up._

"_Where's mum, Art?" Arthur shook his head as he coughed up the black air in his lungs. He assumed she'd be outside already…_

_The two boys watched the house as it collapsed completely on itself. Their father and other brothers came running not too long after. As they panted, they looked between the house and Allistor. The tall boy shook his head gravely and Charles rushed forward, getting as close as possible to the wreckage._

"_Anne!" He shouted to the flames in agony. The children all sat in silence, staring either at the fire or the ground. _

_No one said a word after that. _

_Even as they carefully helped Arthur up and rushed to a doctor, no one said a single word. No one could. No one wanted to. No one felt there were any words that could describe how it felt. How it felt to lose their home. To lose their mother…_

"_It's your fault…" Arthur woke to see his father sitting next to his hospital bed. He looked terrible; his hair messier than usual, his happy smile wiped from his face and his joyful tone nowhere to be seen._

"_This…her…it's your entire fault, you filthy datorem…"_

"_Dad," he whispered brokenly," W-what do you me-"_

"_She died…" his father looked up and into his eyes, "Because of you... It's your fault."_

"_N-no," Arthur began to tear up," N-no it's not…"_

"_Yes it is!" He yelled, standing from his seat and pointing an accusing finger at his son, "You did this! Our family is nothing now because of you! You were supposed to protect the house! Protect your own _mother_!"_

"_B-but I couldn't-"_

"_No excuses!" Arthur was cut off again and grabbed by his shoulders. He whimpered as he felt his father's fingers digging into the raw scar tissue of his back. "You ruined it all!"_

_Charles pushed his son away from him harshly, taking several steps back until he reached the door. "You ruined us." His eyes narrowed, "So we'll ruin you." He turned without another word and left the room and it's broken occupant. Arthur's heart stopped for a few beats as he realized what had happened. He was blamed for the fire and his mother's death…_

_He was abandoned._

**. . .**

So, how'd you like this chappy? I wanted to put some seriousness into the story, so Artie's background came along! Not a very happy one, I know, but still, it's part of the plot. By the way, all of the names that aren't from Hetalia are actually names of people I know…..they have no idea O-O Anyways, I hope you enjoyed! And leave some reviews! I _love_ reviews. They make me squee ^_^ See you next week my little lemon drops!

**~Miss Stealer**


	7. Plots of a Jealous Jack

**Miss Stealer:** Well, that last chapter was really sad, so here's some conflict with flakes of humor! This one's basically about the strengthening relationship *yay for trust and understanding?*, our jealous little China, and the beginning of his devious plan. Muahahaha! By the way, can anyone find the quote from The Great Gatsby? First one that does gets an awesome freshly baked pie! So, I hope you enjoy and I'll see you at the bottom ;D

**. . .**

Alfred was silent as he absorbed all that Arthur had told him. He could still hear the venom in his friends' voice when he spoke of his father and the loneliness that shinned in his watering eyes. Never in a thousand years would he have imagined something like that happening to Arthur. Alfred didn't even know the man, but he sure as hell knew he wanted to strangle Arthur's father.

"Show me."

"W-what?" Arthur was startled by the hollow, serious tone of Alfred's voice.

"Show me…please." He added the 'please' as an afterthought, it seemed. Arthur turned pale at the demand and hesitated. The prince stared hard at him, waiting for Arthur to do what he wanted.

After bracing himself, Arthur turned his back to Alfred and started to lift up his shirt with shaking fingers. He felt Alfred's hands help him when he struggled, pulling the expensive clothing over his head and mussing his already unruly hair. Arthur heard the prince breathe in, holding it as he looked over the scarred expanses of his back.

"Can I…?" Arthur weakly nodded and blushed as he felt tentative fingertips brush against the large scar. The hands grew bolder, feeling the creases and film-like skin. It sent shivers down Arthur's spine as the prince seemed to outline the entirety of the wound.

Arthur jumped and squeaked in surprise (a manly squeak, mind you) as Alfred suddenly hugged him from behind. The smooth fabric and cool buttons of the princes' shirt pressed against his bare back, making the datorem realize just how sensitive the scar had become. "Alfred, what are you doing? That's cold, you twat!"

"M'sorry," Alfred mumbled into Arthur's neck, which made Arthur stiffen," You shouldn't have had to go through that…"

"I-It's not your fault, Alfred…" Arthur sighed and hugged the boy back as best as he could from their current position.

"I know, but knowing what you've been through…" Alfred squeezed Arthur and swayed from side to side rapidly, "I'm never gonna blame you for anything ever again!"

Arthur chuckled at the boy's uplifting actions and allowed himself to be cuddled until he grew too cold without a shirt. "Ah, Alfred, I need to put my shirt back on."

"Hmm…nope!"

"What do you mean 'nope'?!" Alfred seemed to trap him with his arms.

"I'm comfy! Stop moving!"

"Damnit, you twat, get the hell off!" Arthur struggled in the prince's hold as the other laughed at his distress.

"First you gotta say I'm your hero!"

"That's ridiculous! No!"

"C'mon~ you know you wanna!"

"…you're my hero…" Arthur ground out the words as he clenched his teeth. The least he could do was humor the poor boy.

"Woohoo!" Alfred cheered in happiness and kissed Arthur on the cheek in celebration, "Aww c'mon, you know ya love me!" Arthur blushed and sighed.

"Oh yes, I'm just _paralyzed_ with happiness and adoration for you, my prince…" Sarcasm seemed to be the datorem's favourite thing to use as of late. The Spade prince just seemed to bring it out of him.

Alfred finally let him go and he pulled on his shirt hurriedly. However, he still felt eyes boring holes through his already damaged back. Alfred quieted down his laughter into small chuckles that kept the silence at bay. Arthur feared that if there were a silence, Alfred would question him, and he was most certainly not ready for any of those. Especially since the annoying lad seemed to be oblivious of the effect of his prying on others.

"Well," Arthur cleared his throat, "We…we should be off then, yeah? It's starting to get late, and we wouldn't want anyone to be disappointed at our absence."

"Sounds good," Alfred agreed," I'm gettin' kinda bored, anyway. Oh! When we get back I gotta show you this awesome collection of books I have! They're all about the stars and stuff!"

The prince continued to ramble about his book collection as his datorem friend lead them out of the forest, nodding once and a while to whatever Alfred was blabbing on about. Arthur led the pair through the streets and past the restaurant they were at previously (which was thankfully calm now) and toward where their carriage was waiting. Some people turned their heads at the two and whispered nothings into each other's ears.

"Oh bullocks…it's already starting…" Arthur mumbled to himself as he watched two women gasped at their friend's whispers and look at him and Alfred in shock.

"What'dya mean?" Alfred piped up from behind him, moving up to look at Arthur from the side. Arthur grimaced.

"Rumors, Alfred. Rumors about us!" Arthur hissed as loud as he could without drawing more attention. "What are we going to do? What will your- what will their majesty's say!"

"Hey, Art, calm down, dude!" Alfred grabbed both of Arthur's shoulders, which probably didn't help their appearance in public at the moment, "Look, it's not your fault, so don't worry about it, man!" Arthur seemed to visibly relax and nodded his head.

"Yes, you're right…Anyways, let's head back to the palace. I'm sure you're missed."

"Yeah, Bina probably misses us like crazy!" Alfred bounced in place and took off for the now visible carriage, "Race ya!"

"Why you-! If you leave without me, Alfred, I swear!" Arthur bound after the laughing prince ahead of him, a small smile finding its' way onto the datorem's face and a brightness into his emerald eyes.

**. . .**

"Oh Yao, calm your nerves. They should be home shortly, I'm sure!" Queen Mariel sat in her personal study, trying to calm the jack down while she attended to her work. The large room was lit by the setting sun shining through the large windows, giving the dark wood furniture a lighter appearance. As she stressed over party plans for the next month, Jack Yao stressed over the prince and his new datorem friend.

"Yes, sure, but they should_ not_ have left the palace without me- without someone" Yao paced the width of the study, "_I_ was placed in charge of this assignment. _I_ should accompany the prince on his search, _I _should be the one to advise him; is that not what I'm here for?"

"Oh pish, Yao, you're getting too worked up over this." The queen lowered her papers and stared at the jack seriously over her thin-framed glasses. "If you keep making such a fuss I'll see that you're taken off the assignment on grounds that it's too stressful for you."

"No, no, I'll be fine. I just wish he'd-"

"Your majesty, I apologize for interrupting, but Prince Alfred and his Second Hand Arthur have arrived."

"See?" Queen Mariel went back to her work and addressed Yao without looking at him," Well, go on then. See to it that your nerves are calmed, oh, and don't go hard on the boys. They are just children after all."

"Yes, children indeed…" Jack Yao mumbled to himself as he left the study and hurriedly traveled down to the stables. He stomped down the halls, angrily whispering to himself.

"_Damn datorem-_ Evening Constance- _he is taking away my duties…one of my most important ones, as well_- Oh, do be careful with that vase, it's a royal favorite- _maybe I could…"_ The jack slowed as he passed the queen's personal powder room. That was filled with expensive jewelry…

Yao looked around the hall before quietly slipping into the room and taking a few pieces of the queen's favorite jewelry; specifically some sets given to her by the king on their wedding day…and walked out as discretely as he entered. _'This will teach him…'_

**. . .**

Okay, so, very short chapter. I haven't had time to do this stuff….God I hate school T-T But I promise the next chapter will be full length and probably longer than I normally do, since I cut the ending short…I just wanted to update this story. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the little fluffs I put in the beginning; that was for missing V-Day. Honestly, I personally hate it, but, oh well. Gotta please the fans ;D Okay, I'll go now…sorry again :D


	8. Reunion of Colours

**Miss Stealer:** Sorry…I'm just- just gonna leave this here…

**Disclaimer:** Not mine…T-T

**. . .**

It took Yao a while to figure out that it was actually quite difficult to plant evidence on a living person. Not that he'd done it on someone who was _dead_, but still.

He had met the prince and datorem at the stables as they were talking with their servant friend Sabina. Arthur seemed to act less reserved than before, with actions and words, but the jack dismissed the behavioral change. Yao sent the servant back to work and sternly told, or rather ordered, the two to meet him in his study. When they arrived, he gave the pair his usual lecture as they just stood impatiently in front of him.

"Prince Alfred, you do realize it is _I_ who should be attending these outings, yes?" Yao bitterly asked, looking briefly at Arthur with a glare.

"Well, yeah, but I got Artie, don't I?" Alfred smiled at Arthur who returned the gesture with a small twitch of the lips. The jack wasn't satisfied with the answer, so he took another approach. He moved over to Arthur and, reluctantly, put a hand upon his shoulder.

"That you do, but not only is your absence from the palace without me a danger to you, it is a danger to your dear da- Arthur as well." The prince seemed to pause at this, looking between Yao and Arthur.

"Wait, does that mean I'm putting him in danger?!" Yao nodded with a face lined with false worry, "That's not what heroes do! We're supposed to protect people, dude, Artie, I'm sorry!"

As Alfred fussed over Arthur, Yao took the opportunity to finally place the jewelry inside of the datorem's pocket with a small, evil smile.

"Well, now we all know how important it is that I accompany you two on your little trips, yes?" Alfred shook his head wildly and Arthur stared skeptically at him, but agreed anyways. "Good…" The jack moved to the door and held it open from the boys, "Now, don't get into any more trouble. I will most certainly _not_ tolerate it…"

"Sure thing, Yao!" Alfred led Arthur into the hallway, but as Arthur passed the jack, he 'tripped'. The datorem fell and ended up sprawled on his stomach. As he got up, he noticed something fall out of his vest pocket. Arthur stared wide-eyed as he picked up the sparkling jewels that came out of nowhere. Jack Yao gasped in fake shock.

"The queens' wedding jewels! Thief!" He roughly grabbed the boys' arm and forced him to his feet as Alfred stood, gaping at the scene unfolding in front of him.

"Oi! I haven't done anything, I never took these!" Arthur struggled in Yao's iron grip, frantically looking to Alfred for assistance, "Hey, you git, tell him I speak the truth!"

Alfred snapped out of his shock and anger painted his face. "Woah, woah, woah! Artie didn't do that!"

"Oh Prince Alfred, come now," Yao chastised," Don't deny it; your _friend_ here is a thief! I knew bringing him in was a bad idea!"

"A-Alfred?" Arthur looked genuinely confused and faintly afraid. Alfred stepped forward and stood tall, looking seriously into the jack's face.

"Arthur didn't take my mother's jewelry, Yao. He's been with me ever since he stepped foot in this castle, so I would know if he took them; which he didn't. So you either let him go now, or I _will_ report this to my parents-"

"Ah! The queen, oh, she must know about this!" The jack completely disregarded Alfred's words, becoming excited over the possibility of getting rid of Arthur so quickly, and started to drag the datorem to the queen's study. He leaned down to hiss in Arthur's ear, "You will be dealt with properly, I will see to it…"

Alfred followed them into the study, sputtering desperate pleas and stern demands while Arthur grew pale and started to worry. Even though he and Alfred knew he was innocent, would the queen actually believe him over her trusted advisor? Everything was happening too fast for him to think about clearly, making him feel slightly dizzy. The aforementioned queen jumped in surprise when the trio burst through her door, all shouting at the same time.

"My queen, this thief has stolen your wedding jewels and I caught him in the-!"

"Mom, don't listen to him, he didn't-!"

"Your majesty, I swear I didn't take them, he lies-!"

"Silence!" The room suddenly became dead silent as the queen glared as harshly as Mariel could- which wasn't much, mind you- and the boys stared in shock and respect at her outburst. "Now," she sighed, getting ready to be bombarded, "What's the matter?"

They all started to talk again, but she raised her hand and tisked, "One at a time, dears."

"My queen," Yao started off," I caught this filthy thief taking possession of your precious wedding jewels. I brought him right to you for his punishment, seeing as the prince was so neglecting of his duties to take notice his little assistant was a fraud."

"Mom, it's not true!" Alfred burst out, pushing forward, "Artie was with me the whole time, he couldn't have-"

"Alfred, hush." Mariel shooed her son away and beckoned Arthur to come to her desk. "What have you to say, Arthur?"

"Your Majesty, I assure you I would _never_ steal from someone who has been so hospitable. This bloody man," Arthur pointed accusingly at Yao, "falsely accuses me of a crime I couldn't possibly have committed. I was with your son for the duration of the day and had only returned a short while ago. I don't even know where you keep your bleeding jewels!"

Alfred mentally smacked himself as he listened to the datorem blow his head off at his mother. His attitude definitely wouldn't help his case, but it seemed the queen seemed impressed at his feistiness. Yao was evidently pleased that Arthur was practically yelling at the queen, but was visibly confused when she smiled at him sweetly and reached up to pinch his cheek.

"Oh you, I know. These, "she gently took the jewels from Arthur's grasp and inspected them with a fond look, "are kept in my powder room in a special case; a locked one, at that. You couldn't possibly get them without a Suit Key, which I _know_ you don't have…Right?"

"Check my pockets; I don't have your stupid key!" Arthur stood with his arms open as he glared at the royal. Alfred came up behind his friend and put a comforting hand on his shoulder, causing Arthur to put his arms down and relax his shoulders.

"Arthur, sweetheart, I know you wouldn't do such a thing. My boy here is a pretty good judge of character." Queen Mariel looked behind the boys and raised her eyebrows at Yao. "Jack, may I see your key ring?"

The jack blinked and stuttered, trying to disregard her words as well. Alfred and Arthur watched as the queen sadly looked at the fumbling man and quietly left the room when she motioned for them to leave. Arthur hurried out while Alfred trailed closely behind him, his hand still on the datorem's shoulder.

**. . .**

"Jack Yao."

"Yes, your majesty?"

"Arthur is a good boy. We all trust him and welcome him here in the palace and you should try being nice to him for once; I do not want to see this happen again. If it does, it is not the datorem that will be punished. Do you hear me?"

"…yes, your majesty." Yao ground out the words and clenched his jaw. He turned and silently left the study, keeping his raging thoughts inside his now pounding head.

'_I have dealt with hundreds of Royals for the Spade Kingdom for hundreds of years and not once has my position been threatened so harshly! Where I came from that datorem would've been executed right then and there! Can they blame me for worrying about my job?'_ The jack crept silently through the halls with a stern glare set upon his doll-like face. He honestly was worried about his position as the Jack of Spades. Here was a man, a _datorem_, who could possibly do his job better than him; why wouldn't he be? Yao tried to reason with himself when he turned the corner and saw the troublesome duo.

Alfred was hugging Arthur, who seemed to not enjoy the contact, but allowed it so as to hear what the prince was saying to him. Yao quickly hid behind the corner and tried to listen to their conversation.

"Artie, I'm sorry Yao did that, but I promise the hero will look out for you!"

"Alfred, get off! It's over, there's no need to be so physical, you twat!" Alfred chuckled.

"Okay, okay. Hey, let's go find Bina!" Yao peeked around the corner and saw the prince grab his friends' hand and drag him down the main stairwell. Then, something clicked in the jack's mind.

"Could he…?" He smirked at his new discovery. Alfred wasn't keeping Arthur around to eventually replace him; the datorem was being kept around for exactly the reason he was brought to the palace in the first place, but from a different position.

Alfred had fallen in love with the little datorem. A street rat from the alley ways of London! Jack Yao chuckled to himself and continued on his way with a straighter posture and more confident air about him than before. _'Now this will be so much easier…'_

**. . .**

"Oh! And, and, we could have huge firework displays from Jack Yao's home country!" Alfred excitedly demonstrated the anticipated show, making explosion noises and creating mini fireworks with his hands. Sabina sat with Arthur as they just listened as the prince rambled on about plans. That week held Alfred's birthdate, where he would turn seventeen. For weeks he had been talking up his parents to have the most spectacular birthday party yet, seeing as when he was eighteen, he wouldn't have much time for parties such as this.

"Oh really?" Both servant and datorem droned, each continuing to listen and nibble at the small lunch they were all sharing.

"Yeah, and you guys are totally gonna love the music! It's gonna make everyone want to dance!" The prince danced in his seat as Arthur chuckled at his excitement and sipped his tea calmly. His time with the rowdy prince sure had chalked up to be an interesting experience so far. After the incident with the jewelry, the pair hadn't seen much of Jack Yao. Although he was quite relieved, Arthur couldn't help but feel Yao still didn't enjoy his presence in the palace.

"Oh! Arthur," Arthur snapped out of his thoughts when Sabina called him, "There was a man, or commander I should say, who was asking about you earlier this week." Arthur raised a confused eyebrow at her.

"What do you mean? A commander, as in, a soldier? Why would a bleeding soldier be asking of me?"

"Well, that's what I was thinking!" Alfred seemed to tune into their conversation and listened to them intently as he gobbled down the sandwiches from the table, "Maybe he knows you, you never know!"

"True, but I don't know anyone in the military…"

"Really? Tall, red, kind of orange hair? Strange accent, maybe a bit heavier than yours…? Had green eyes like you, he did." Sabina tilted her head and Arthur wracked his brain for possible identities of the mystery commander.

"Hey wait, didn't you say your older brother, what's-his-face, had reddish hair?" Alfred chimed in. Arthur scoffed at the idea of his older brother Allistor, who he hadn't seen for years now, could possibly be a _commander_ in the _military_, of all things.

"Allistor? Bloody hell no!"

"Y'never know, man!" Alfred leaned over and put his arm around the datorem's shoulders and looked off into the distance. "Just think, your big bro could be an awesome hero, like me! Except not as great as me, but still!"

"Well, now that I think of it, he did have a knack for beating people up…" Arthur seemed to ponder the idea and began to get a bit flustered. What if Allistor was really so close by? What would happen if they ran into each other? Would he welcome Arthur back into his life, or would he push him away as his father did?

"Why don't we go find the guy?" Alfred suggested, "If it's not him, we could at least figure out why he was askin' for ya!"

"I guess it wouldn't do any harm…" Arthur and the others stood and went off in the direction of the soldiers' quarters. Alfred and Sabina conversed between each other about happy reunions and the like while Arthur grew nervous.

They all approached the large round building connected to the wall surrounding the palace grounds. Its' oak doors held the same pattern as the doors within the palace: a large, intricate Spade design that seemed to be burned into the wood, but was as smooth as paint when touched. Other than that, the entire building seemed to be devoid of anything too spectacular.

Alfred pushed open the doors with ease and Arthur caught a glimpse of the inside. Soldiers were scurrying around trying to do their jobs, sitting down and polishing weapons, and eating and talking to each other. It seemed like a fairly cheerful place, minus the heavy weaponry and dangerous scuffles some soldiers seemed to get in just for fun. Arthur immediately spotted a red mop of hair on the loft of the common area.

Everyone seemed to stop what they were doing momentarily to happily greet the prince. They all shouted a welcoming 'hey there!' and went back to their previous activities. The so said commander, however, took one look at Alfred and his little posse and his jaw dropped. Arthur saw his hand his mug to the man he was talking to and went to the staircase, sliding down its' rail with a happy smile on his face.

"Smaragdus!" Arthur was enveloped in a bone crushing hug as his older brother happily embraced him.

"Rutilus?"

"Arthur, my brother, look at ya!" Allistor pulled back and examined his younger brother proudly, "All cleaned up an' lookin' better than ever!" He brought Arthur into a headlock and gave him a harsh noogie.

"Haha! See, I told ya!" Alfred shouted, smiling at the brothers' exchange.

"Good hell, I missed you, boy." Allistor hugged Arthur tightly again, and this time Arthur hugged back. "What've you been doin' all this time? I only heard o' ya comin' around here recently, so tell me everything!"

"Allistor, what- how are you a commander of all things?" Arthur asked, actually smiling at how his brother received him after all of these years. He couldn't have asked for anything better.

"Ahh, I joined the army to get away from pa an' everything." Allistor seemed to grow a bit somber, "He went south after mum died, I swear. Couldn't bear to be around 'im any longer, so I figured I'd join this wonderful army!" Some soldiers cheered in response to their commander's shout.

"I'm not surprised…but, what of Connor, Oliver, and Eily?" The entire group moved to sit around an empty table and Allistor beckoned for drinks.

"Oliver went off to study some weird medicine rubbish, and the twins went to live in grandmum's house, seein' as she passed not too long ago." The red-haired man took a long swig of ale and sighed as the refreshing alcohol burned his throat.

"Oh…have you any idea were father's gotten to?" The table seemed to quiet, even as the room around them was bustling with noisy men and loud teenagers. Allistor smirked and took another swig.

"Humpf, haven't the slightest. An' frankly, I don't give a donkey's arse!" They all laughed and Alfred nudged Arthur's shoulder as if to say that everything wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Arthur smiled as he realized that the prince was actually right; everything was turning out better than he thought.

**. . . **

Well, Shall I explain? Yes, so, I was sick with the flu (again) so I missed updating last week, and I've been having some family issues lately. Sadly that means I might not update as much as I want to anymore. Plus, I have lots of catching up to do since I missed three days of school (which is basically missing six days at my school). Hopefully you guys can hold off until the next update, but until then, please review and tell me how you like the story! And don't forget: Keep Calm and Lemon On, my little Lemon Drops!

**~Miss Stealer**


	9. Up Close and Personal at the Gala

**Miss Stealer:** Yay for chapter 9! Sorry about the last two chapters; they were really supposed to be one. Oh well, this story just became a chapter longer! Cool! Anyways, sorry about any late updates. Family and school issues never cease to find me, but I'm not going to leave you guys hangin' dry! You guys are one of my top priorities! That and learning how to properly bake scones O-O…let's just say I'm getting there…kinda….#EnglandProblems. Well, enough of my rambling, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I diss my claim on anything that I don't actually have…it's not mine.

**. . .**

Arthur awoke slowly to the sound of bustling feet in the halls. He groaned and threw an arm over his eyes to block the sunlight from shining on his face. Something, however, didn't feel right. For once he hadn't been glomped by an overly energetic prince (Arthur often wondered how the boy got so much energy so early in the morning). Even so, it seemed his body felt it was the right time to awaken.

"Damn it…" he was now so used to being rudely woken at very early hours that he was doing it on his own. So much for sleeping in…_'Might as well get up, I suppose.'_ Arthur leisurely got out of his large, comfy bed and began dress in the slightly fancy clothing set out for him. It was a big day, after all.

His white, long-sleeved button down shirt laid under a blue, satin vest that was detailed with a spade design on the left breast pocket and shiny, gold buttons. A long royal blue, almost purple, coat with spade-shaped buttons fit over that surprisingly well. The coat might've been a bit much, but Arthur certainly didn't want to be underdressed. Simple light brown trousers and black dress boots (shined to perfection) completed the outfit; along with an odd, but not bad looking, headpiece shaped as a small top hat. The datorem stepped in front of the mirror and checked himself, fixing the white bow around his neck and his unruly hair before heading out into the hall.

As he expected, servants were scurrying about, reading the entire palace for their young prince's birthday party. Arthur looked around for said prince curiously. He expected Alfred to be running down the halls with a sheet wrapped around his shoulders while shouting excitedly that it was, in fact, his birthday. Well, maybe not that, but he never knew with Alfred.

"Excuse me, miss?" Arthur asked one of the busy maids.

"Yes, sir?" She answered back, obviously struggling with the heavy load she was carrying.

"Would you happen to know where the prince is?"

"Most likely in his room, sir. It's down the hall, last door on the left." Arthur thanked her and set off down the large hallway, staring out the large windows that let the morning light flood into the palace, giving it a healthy glow.

Arthur got to the end of the hall and knocked on Alfred's door, opening it without waiting for the lazy prince. He sighed in frustration when he saw the lazy prince face down on his bed, out cold, with several books strewn across the bed sheets. Most of the books were about stars and constellations, the datorem noted as he picked them up and set them on Alfred's messy desk. One book caught his eyes, though. As he pulled the book out of a large pile, he saw the title: _"Historia Datores"_.

"History of datorems…git." He shook his head and threw the book on the desk with the others. Alfred was snoring loudly and Arthur blushed as he saw the prince was without a shirt, but forced anything that came from that out of his head. "Oi, rise and shine, twat!"

_Snore._

Arthur tore the sheets off of the bed, blushing again when Alfred's lower half was exposed, only covered by boxers. "Alfred, you idiot, you need to get up, or else you'll miss out on your _wondrous_ party."

"Ngh, five more minutes, ma…" Alfred mumbled and Arthur sighed. Taking in a huge breath, the datorem yelled loud enough for the entire palace could hear.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALFRED!" The prince jumped at the yell and blinked his eyes at Arthur, who was scowling. "Finally! Now get off your lazy arse and get dressed. You don't want to be late for your own party, do you?" Arthur smirked.

"Oh my gods, Artie," Alfred crawled across the bed and kneeled, holding Arthurs shoulders and stared straight into his eyes for an awkward minute before a smile broke out on his face and his blue eyes twinkled. "It's my birthday!"

Arthur smiled slightly at the prince's excitement. "Yes, yes, I know. Now, get ready-"

"It's my birthday~ My birthday!" Alfred giddily jumped off the bed and danced his way to his large bathroom to prepare himself. The entire time Arthur could hear him singing happily, rather loud and off key. It wasn't what he imagined earlier, but pretty damn close.

Alfred came back to where Arthur was waiting, humming happily while trying to fix his dark brown tie. His outfit was similar to Arthur's, though his vest was an almost purple looking blue and his jacket was the Spade Kingdom's royal blue. "How do I look? Pretty awesome, right?"

"Yes, sure," Arthur grabbed Alfred's wrist and pulled him into the hall, "Your mother told you not to be too late to help finalize preparations, you git."

"Well, mornin' to you too, Mr. Grumpy-pants!" The prince laughed and followed his friend down the hallway, still smiling. "Oh, hey, we kinda look like twins! But what's with the hat thingy?" Alfred poked said hat and Arthur slapped his hand away.

"Im only trying to look nice, don't criticize me, you git!"

"I was only askin' dude, but you do look nice!" Arthur blushed, but hid his face from the prince and lead Alfred to where they should've been a half-hour ago; still unconsciously holding his hand.

**. . .**

Lights shone bright, music wafted through the air, and people were laughing, chatting, and dancing the night away. The entire palace garden was decked out in extravagant party décor fit for a king (well, in this case, prince). Dukes and counts, duchesses and countesses, even the servants were dressed elegantly and brought various shades of colours to the party. Arthur stood out of the way, chatting with Sabina- who was requested by Alfred to have the day off- while the prince ran around happily, enjoying his party.

The datorem could honestly say he was actually enjoying himself as well, even though he wasn't a party person. It made the stuffy atmosphere and, tight clothing, and stuck-up men and women worth it just to see Alfred smiling and having a good time. Arthur had to admit, the prince really did look charming in his formal wear. His eyes shined, teeth sparkled, and hair glistening in the setting sun. He blushed when Alfred looked back to see him staring. Arthur stuttered a response to something Sabina asked him when said prince started to weave his way through the crowd to his friend, averting his eyes from the oncoming boy.

"Hey there, birthday boy!" Sabina hugged Alfred and gave him a pat on the back. "Look at ya, seventeen already!" Alfred laughed.

"I know, I can't believe it either!" the prince turned to Arthur," You havin' a good time, Artie?"

"It's 'Arthur', Alfred," the datorem snapped back, but smiled softly," but, yes, I _am_ having quite a nice time, thank you."

"Awesome! Have you guys danced yet? Mom and dad got a band that doesn't play that old, stuffy music!"

"No, actually we haven't. We've been talking here the entire time." Sabina answer somewhat sheepishly.

"Well," Alfred grabbed both of their hands, "Let's go then!" the giddy prince led the two onto the make-shift dance floor, going right to the middle of the crowd. The prince and servant started to dance happily while Arthur stood awkwardly, watching them make up their own horrid dance moves. Alfred laughed and grabbed Arthurs' hands and tried to coax him into dancing with him.

Arthur blushed and tried to pull away his hands, but Alfred's grip on them was iron and he just stared at the foolish boy dancing oddly in front of him with a smile. He eventually warmed up to the music being played and danced along with the birthday boy and their friend. At some point Sabina left them, saying something about finding another one of her servant friends, but the two boys didn't take much notice. All they cared about was the fun they were sharing with each other with one simple, yet very silly, dance. Alfred couldn't think of anything better.

**. . .**

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" Alfred bounced as he dragged Arthur back inside of the castle and to his personal balcony. The fireworks sent from the Jack's home country were being prepared to wrap up the prince's spectacular seventeenth birthday. Alfred hadn't let Arthur out of his sight for the entire evening, making sure the datorem was having a great time. He just hoped the fireworks would make it even better him.

"Oi, slow down, you'll make me trip!" Arthur grumbled, but the small smile that seemed to be permanent that night was still there.

"But we can't miss the fireworks! They're gonna be awesome!" The two didn't have to wait long before a firework shot into the air and burst into fragments of bright red, followed by more in white and blue. The lights seemed to bathe everything those colours. Everyone stared up in wonder, 'Oo's and 'Ah's coming from the guests, including Alfred and Arthur.

"Wow, wasn't that amazing, dude?!" Alfred exclaimed when the colourful explosions ceased.

"I've never seen anything like it; it was beautiful!" Alfred smiled when he heard that. Even though it was his party, all he really cared about was how happy Arthur was, because that's how friends are right? They always look out for each other to make sure they're both happy and have everything they need, and that's what Alfred was doing from Arthur; because they were friends.

At least that's what Alfred's been telling himself since he met the datorem.

Sure he considered them to be best friends, but he never understood why he would feel all bubbly when Arthur smiled, or laughed, and even when he insulted him. He loved being around Arthur, and he really wished he didn't have to find someone to marry so he could spend all of his time with his…friend. Alfred blushed. _'Is…is it wrong that I don't want to think of him that way?'_

"Uhm, Alfred," Alfred snapped out of his thoughts and turned to Arthur, who had apparently left and returned while he was pondering to himself and held something behind his back. "A while ago I had Sabina help me acquire some art supplies, and, well…here!"

A canvas that had the thick smell of oils was shoved into his face. He looked curiously at Arthur, who was blushing furiously, and took the canvas, holding it back to fully look at it. He gasped at the detailed picture. It was a painting of the night's sky with stars scattered across it. Several of the stars were set in a constellation that outlined him, holding a sword and shield. The constellation seemed to be protected the small version of the Spade Palace on the corner of the canvas. He was shown as the hero he proclaimed himself to be.

"Wow…"Alfred gaped at the painting, "Artie, this is…this is so _awesome_!" Alfred smiled widely, so much it hurt. He carefully set down the painting and gathered Arthur into a huge hug. "That is seriously the best gift I've ever gotten! How did you even do that?! It's perfect!"

"My mother taught me how to paint when I was younger, so I thought I'd try my hand at it again…" Alfred pulled back and slightly shook the datorem in excitement.

"Arthur, you've officially made this the best birthday _ever_." Arthur blushed a darker shade of red when Alfred looked straight into his eyes, their faces inches apart. He was surprised to see how blue the prince's eyes really were and how they sparkled with happiness, even in the dark. They both unconsciously moved forward, and Arthur's eyes started to drift shut. Their lips were about to touch, and the datorem realized that he didn't mind at all.

"Oh, hey guys! I've been looking all over for you!" The two quickly snapped back and stared at each other with wide eyes, both blushing a hot red. Sabina walked in between them and put an arm around both of their shoulders. "Alfred, your parents want you down in the garden to open some yuppie's gifts for ya."

"Oh, uh, yeah," Alfred stuttered, still staring at Arthur, "Sure, let's-let's go down there then! Heheh!" The prince ran off as fast as he could and Sabina looked back at his retreating form with confusion.

"What's his problem?" Arthur gulped and stiffly went to pick up the painting Alfred had left behind. "Oh well, not my problem. Anyways, come on down, why don't ya? I'm sure princey would be absolutely _lost_ without you!" Sabina laughed at her own joke and went off to find Alfred.

'_Did…did that really just happen?'_ the datorem thought to himself as he set his present on Alfred's bed,_ 'Oh Gods, what if she didn't come? Well…I mean…I actually wouldn't have minded…'_ He blushed heavily again and shook his head furiously, ridding the thought from his mind. _'No. No, no, no, no, no. He's the Prince of Spades, and a _guy_. Not to mention he's looking for a wife…sadly…'_

Arthur found himself at the back of the crowd that was watching the prince open his gifts. All of which, as usual, were nothing he actually wanted. Alfred looked as if nothing had happed between the two; the only evidence being a very small blush dusting his cheeks. At some point, Alfred looked up to thank one of his aunts for the very…_colourful_ vest she had made and caught Arthur's eye. That small blush turned into a full blown red face, but thankfully everyone thought the prince was blushing because of his aunts' compliments.

'_Holy crap, holy crap, Arties gonna kill me, I swear!'_ Alfred worried to himself as he opened his gifts and tried his hardest to avoid those shining, emerald eyes that seemed to haunt him in his dreams. Okay, so he _might_ like Arthur as more than a friend, but that didn't mean he could openly express that to him, or anyone, in fact. That's the reason he's kept stalling on their 'searches' every week. _'I'd rather have him than some stuffed up, rich girl who only cares about fame and fortune, I guess…'_

Jack Yao stood at his post behind the royal family and clearly saw the strange interaction between the two boys. Without having to guess, he automatically knew something had gone on, and he wasn't going to allow the game they were playing to continue. Somehow, he was going to have to split them up and keep the royal family from embarrassment and collapse. Yao actually liked these royals. So he wasn't going to be _too_ harsh…Maybe.

**. . .**

So, you like? I had fun writing this chapter, actually. I wanted to put something in there that would get you guys kind of pissed ^_^ Yay~ Haha, but don't worry, it only gets better. Well, if you and I have the same definition of 'better' :D. Anyways, be a dear and review so I know you guys like/hate the story so far! It really makes my day! So, I shall leave you for now. Until next time, Keep Calm my Little Lemon Drops!

**~Miss Stealer**


	10. Back to the Streets Where it All Began

**Miss Stealer:** Welcome back my pretties to chapter 10! I know I've been slow with updates and whatnot, but my finals were this week and I needed to kind of study. A lot. Even so, I have this for ya :D Anyone know what the title of this chapter's a reference to? Cookie for anyone who does! Oh yeah, don't hate me. You'll know what I mean. Enjoy/ Rage!

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. I obviously would've done things that would be deemed "socially unacceptable" to it…Psh…

**. . .**

"You," Jack Yao held out a letter to a waiting servant, "Send this to whom it is addressed to. Now, hurry it along." The servant bowed and quickly left to deliver the letter. Yao sat back in his brown leather chair with a tired sigh. He really wished he didn't have to use such a forceful tactic, but he couldn't take any chances with his plan to get rid of Alfred's little home wrecker. It was sure to be a national, no, global embarrassment for he Spade Kingdom to have a man as queen.

Yes, the Hearts Kingdom had that type of system, but their king and queen were solely business partners. To actually have a real male couple take the throne? Unacceptable in Yao's eyes.

The jack turned his chair and looked out into the gardens. He spotted the famous duo walking along the rose bushes and talking adamantly; smiles on their faces. He scoffed at Alfred, who grabbed Arthur's hands and happily spun them in a circle, then dragged the datorem off to the stables. Yao noticed that their actions had been a bit…off, since the gala a week before.

They did things much more carefully around each other and seemed to blush from just looking each other in the eyes. Now, Yao may be an old brute, but he knows attraction when he sees it, and he is most definitely _not_ liking it. _'Hopefully what I had sent for comes quick. The sooner, the better.'_

**. . .**

The sun was starting to set and the last of its' rays hit the now almost completely bare trees around the Spade Palace. Autumn was settling in for its short stay in the Spade Kingdom before the harsh winter arrived and covered the land with glistening snow. People were starting to cover themselves in warm furs and storing important objects that were susceptible to the harsh winter. The royal gardeners were preparing the grounds, planting special flowers and trees that grew best in cold weather to maintain the garden's beautiful charm. Many of these plants were imported from the Clubs Kingdom, for their tundra landscape still held floral beauty all year long.

Arthur took a deep breath, the cold air stinging his lungs. He, like the king, had taken a liking to the gardens and was currently on one of his many strolls through the extensive grounds. Nodding his head at some passing gardeners and servants, including a wave to a cold Sabina, he headed to his favorite spot: Willow's Pond; where he was to hopefully meet Sabina when she was done with her share of the work.

The large, crystal clear pond was near the back of the entire garden and was surrounded by a multitude of beautiful weeping willow trees. The pond laid undisturbed lily pads and cat tails frozen in place. The hanging leaves from the willows created a curtain around the pond, blocking out the rest of the garden and producing a comforting silence.

Arthur picked up a smooth stone and rolled it in his hand before throwing it into the water, disrupting the peaceful calm. He sighed heavily. All week he and Alfred had been different with one another. The datorem blushed when he remembered the close call they had on the prince's birthday.

"We almost…" he shook he head. He couldn't let his newfound feelings show. His gratitude and loyalty to Alfred had turned into an embarrassing amount of love. Arthur knew for a fact, however, that his love would _never_ be accepted; by Alfred _and_ the Kingdom. Plus, the prince was searching a _wife_, and he was aiding him, nonetheless.

Arthur smiled sadly and his heart clenched. He had forgotten what it was like to _feel_ as if he were loved. Honestly, he wanted to be greedy and stay by Alfred's side for as long as possible; however, he had quite an unfortunate past with things never going according to plan. Arthur sighed and closed his eyes, tilting his head up as he felt a breeze sweep around him. Everything was perfect; nice and quiet…but that changed very quickly.

The datorem felt two large arms wrap around him, one hand going to his mouth and the other holding down his arms. A thick, smokey perfume-like smell invaded his nostrils, the scent so pungent it made his eyes water. Arthur struggled in the tight grasp, but it was nearly impossible due to the constricting, tan arms. A low chuckle was hard behind him and he opened his eyes wide in fright.

"Well, well," a heavily accented man said in a sing-song voice right by Arthur's ear. The stranger's breath was odd and fanned over the side of his face. "Who would've known you were such a cutie? I'm really gonna have fun with this." The man groped his behind and licked the datorem's ear. Arthur froze in fear before violently shaking his head and kicking his feet in an attempt to break away.

The stranger only chuckled again and started to force the smaller man to the ground. In his haste to get away, Arthur made the man's hold on his mouth break and he screamed for help as loud as he could. His attacker just pinned him down and glared at him while he continued to yell.

"Aww, poor thing. No one's going to come; we're all the way in the back of the grounds. Haha, you picked a perfect place, _Arthur_."

'_How does he know my name? Who is he? What does he want? Oh gods, I hope he doesn't-'_ His thoughts were cut off when he felt a cloth cover his mouth, being tied around his head hastily. He thrashed and kicked with all his might, but the stronger man held him down with ease, then straddled him. The attacker whistled as he looked the bound and squirming datorem over.

"A datorem? Damn, that jack really set me up with the good stuff. Now, stop struggling and it'll be less painful." Arthur looked up at the man in fear and shock. He had dark, tan skin and a mask over his eyes; however, the glint in the uncovered eyes shone brightly with perverted intent. "I don't care either way."

Arthur winced at the pain. _'Jack? Bloody Yao!'_ He felt the man unbutton his shirt and run his rough hands over his chest, crudely pinching his nipples. Arthur continued to squirm and thrash, tears now pricking at his eyes. The attacker grunted in annoyance and ripped part of the datorem's shirt to tie his hands above him to the bench that sat by the pond.

Now that the masked man had use of both hands, he pulled on Arthur's, now dirty, hair and continued to bite and suck his way down his chest. The smaller of the two whimpered and tried to knock the other off of him, but the attacker used it to his own advantage and started to grind his hips into Arthur's.

"Oh, feisty little shit you are. Don't worry; it won't take long if you stop that _fucking_ squirming, yeah?" He roughly ripped the datorem's trousers down his legs and Arthur began to shake as the tears started to slip down his cheeks. "Poor, dirty datorem. Wish your little princey was here to save you? Too bad he doesn't care enough to come sweep you off your feet now."

Arthur tried to loosen the tie on his wrists, telling himself not to listen to the man's words, and did everything in his power to stop the attacker from spreading his legs. Thankfully, the gag in his mouth wasn't tied as well as he thought and he slipped it off hastily.

"HELP! Please, someone he-!"

"Oh, shut up!" Arthur was smacked so hard his face tingled and he froze as pain spread over his face. The masked man retied the cloth even tighter than before, making Arthur whine in pain. The larger man forced his legs apart and settled between them smugly. He took Arthur's limp member in his hand and squeezed it hard. Arthur tried to yell out, but all of the struggling was unfortunately wearing him out immensely. He couldn't control his tears anymore as he realized just how helpless he really was.

**. . .**

"Finally!" Sabina sighed and stood up straight, leaning on her dirty shovel. She looked over all of what she had done. Several trees were planted, bushes of flowers in place, and a brand-spankin'-new gazebo stood in the center of the flower garden. Now she could get to Arthur at Willow's Pond and relax for the rest of the day.

'_Hopefully he's still there. Hey, maybe we could plant some of those lilies at the pond too! I wonder where I put them…'_ Well, she figured, Arthur had been waiting for a while, a couple of more minutes couldn't hurt.

**. . .**

"It's a shame dear Alfred couldn't get to see you like this first, but now he won't want to anyways." Arthur yelled through the gag, but he knew it was a lost battle. It didn't help that his body was betraying him as the attacker continued to squeeze and pull at his member. "Because you won't be the pure little datorem he thought you were."

The comment stung Arthur and his heart clenched. As the man started to undo his own trousers, still whispering hurtful words into Arthur's ears, he thought of Alfred and how the masked man was right. It made him want to curl into himself and throw up.

More tears were spilling from his eyes, those damned traitors, when a dry finger forced it's way inside him. He shook his head in denial and resisted as much as he could without spiking pain in his rear. _'Oh gods, please, please, no! This shouldn't be happening! Alfred, a-anyone!'_ The man smirked evilly and licked his lips, spreading Arthur's legs further apart. The datorem panicked again and tugged at his wrist bindings. The more he twisted, the more it hurt, but Arthur wouldn't relent. His right hand broke free, but his shoulder gave off a nasty crack that shot more pain throughout his body.

"MMFPH!"

"Your fault, dumbass. In fact, it's your fault you're in this position in the first place." The man said with venom and chuckled darkly. "But I bet you love it, you filthy street rat."

Arthur felt something bigger than the previous fingers press up against his entrance. The pain was unbearable and he felt dizzy as he was completely violated. _'No, no, no! A-Alfred, oh gods, Sabina, please, please be here!...Alfred I lo-'_

He gasped when he felt the full weight of the attacker fall on his bound body and suddenly roll off him with a groan. Arthur opened his eyes and saw a very terrified Sabina towering over him with a shovel poised above her head. They both stared at each other, their chests heaving and pulses racing. Then, Arthur cried tears of happiness and Sabina lowered her weapon. She crouched down and hurriedly untied his binds, covering him the best she could.

"Arthur!" Sabina held him to her tightly, her eyes wide, "Oh gods, a-are you-! No, no of course you're not, I can't even- we, we need to get you to the palace." She stopped rambling and pulled out a whistle, blowing it loudly. Within minutes, the palace guards came running to their huddled form near the pond, assessing of the situation and disposing of the masked man. Finally, they escorted the trembling duo to the safety of the palace. Though Arthur doubted he could ever feel safe there again.

**. . .**

"Jack Yao, Dr. Medrano needs your assistance in the infirmary." Yao looked up from his papers and glared slightly at the intruding servant, but nodded in affirmation.

"Yes, yes," he looked to the person sitting across from him and stood," Please, wait here until I return. I shouldn't be too long."

"Yeah, yeah, just hurry up, will ya? I'm bored already!"

"I assure you, I will hurry for your sake, Prince Alfred." Jack Yao ground out as he watched the prince take a pen and twirl it in the air. As Yao entered the infirmary, he was met with an empty room. It's only occupant a still Arthur, a haunted look on his face. He didn't turn as a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"I heard what's happened," he said in an overly sweet voice," I _sincerely_ hope you can overcome this. We'll be with you the whole way."

"Liar…" Arthur whispered," You...I don't know what you have against me, but…I can't believe you would do something so horrible…" The hand on his shoulder tightened.

"I haven't the slightest idea of what you're talking about dear _Arthur_."

"How could you!" Arthur turned and stood, shoving the jack's hand off of him," When I tell Alfred all about your bloody plan he will have your head!"

"Oh, I assure you, if you tell our little prince, I guarantee your own little plot in our quite prestigious graveyard." The two glared at each other until Yao smirked and walked out of the room without another word. He knew he had won; the datorem valued his life, and Alfred, too much to let a little incident like that rip them both away so easily.

It wasn't long until Arthur had another visitor. He was laying in his own bed, having been moved from the infirmary after Yao left him.

"Arthur…" the datorem turned hesitantly when he heard someone whisper his name. Alfred inched into his room with wide eyes and a small smile. "Hey, dude…how ya feeling? Yao told me about what happened and I came as soon as I could. I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you, but Yao said there wasn't anything we could do. He's gonna personally deal with that monster."

Arthur felt anger well up inside of him. He knew he would be in danger if he told Alfred the truth, but just knowing the jack was forcing him to play along with his game made him sick. But he would do it. Not for himself, but for Alfred.

"Ah…" Alfred walked over to Arthur and sat on the bed next to him, "I'm fine, don't worry…"

"'Course you will be, 'cause I'm gonna take care of you! You'll be better in no time! And I'm never gonna let you get hurt again! Heroes' promise!" Alfred brought Arthur into a tight hug and Arthur smiled sadly, a small tear escaping his eye.

"Yes, thank you, Alfred…"

**. . .**

Alfred sighed and plopped down at the formal dining table. He rested his head on his empty plate and let his eyes close. Taking care of Arthur had been harder than he thought, what with the datorem waking up every night from nightmares and constantly vomiting. It was really starting to worry Alfred.

"Oh dear," his mother said, leaning over to pat his head gently, "I'm sure Arthur will get better, sweetie. Just you wait."

"But mom, he keeps throwing up and he's super moody... I'm really worried!"

"Hmm," Jack Yao saw the potential in the prince's statement. Should he, or shouldn't he? He smirked to himself, "Those symptoms sound fairly odd, don't you think?" Alfred and his parents stared at the jack in shock.

"M-mom, you don't think…" He looked up at her with wide eyes. Yao stood up before she could say anything.

"This can't be acceptable. I know he is our dear guest and has recently been through much, but this goes against our laws, my queen. Not only teenage, but premarital…"

"Wait, it wasn't his fault! You can't-!"

"Alfred…honey…Yao's right." Alfred stared at his mother in shock. "If we don't do anything, the people will demand a change in laws…heaven knows they won't just want a change to one law."

"Mom! Dad, you can't!" Alfred stood up and glared at them both and angrily turned to Yao. "You! You have had it out for Arthur this whole time! You probably did all of this! It's your entire fault!" Alfred vaulted at the jack, but was held back by the royal guards.

"Yao, it would probably be wise if you left." Theodore said, looking at his son worriedly. The jack nodded and set out, heading straight to the poor datorem's room with a wretched smirk upon his face. _'Finally…'_

**. . .**

Arthur jolted awake when his bedroom door slammed open, and smug looking Yao walking into the room. "Get up."

"W-what-" Arthur was forced out of his bed by guards, who looked away from the datorem in shame. He looked up at Yao and glared, knowing exactly what was happening. "You're sick."

"I try." The jack spit out. He escorted the boy out of the room and into the hall. Servants watched as the datorem was led out of the palace in shock. Yao didn't even bat an eye when Sabina saw what was happening and tried to retrieve Arthur, only to be held back by guards. Arthur knew it was a fight he couldn't win. It was either this, or death, according to the bloody jack. The guards took him out to the courtyard and shoved him into a carriage. Alfred came running out, yelling angrily as he was held back yet again.

"Arthur! Arthur, I'm going to fix this, I swear! Yao, you will pay for this!" Jack Yao just rolled his eyes and got into the carriage as well. Arthur and Alfred locked eyes for a brief moment. "I'm sorry…"

Arthur turned his head and the carriage took off back to London, where Arthur was dropped off. In the same alley where the two boys met not more than a year ago, where everything began, Arthur slid down to the ground and cried.

**. . .**

Ahh….yeah, so, hate me yet? Muahahaha! I actually liked writing this chapter…does that make me a bad person? Meh, oh well. Anyways, I might actually get the next chapter done quicker, because it's spring break baby! So, review, review, review :D Until next time, Keep Calm my Little Lemon Drops!

**~Miss Stealer**


	11. The Dropoff

**Miss Stealer**: WELCOMEEEE~ I am in absolutely no right mind to be writing this right now. I am super mentally exhausted, so don't blame me for a potentially shitty chapter, blame my friend(s) for completely shitting on my spring break with the force-feeding of a certain web comic. (As well as just not having time to write TAT I'm so sorry, by the way…) So anyways, hope this doesn't turn out like the piece of shit I'm expecting it to be :D

**Disclaimer**: Not mine. At least, it wasn't the last time I checked…

**Warning**: Masturbation~

**. . .**

"Alfred," Queen Mariel leaned against the large, locked door to her sons' room and sighed. "Alfred, darling, please come out. We have things to attend to! It's almost been a month, please, for everyone's sake – for _yours_ – come out of this room and attend to your duties!"

". . ."

"Alfred," she put on a more stern tone and narrowed her blue eyes, "Come out this instant!" The door suddenly opened slowly, unlike how she imagined it would fly open, and she stood back as her son emerged.

Almost a month ago the prince was shining and full of life. His hair would sparkle in the sun much like his teeth would when he smiled brightly at everyone he met. Just walking into a room would make everyone in it turn and their moods would rise significantly. Now, however, it seemed as if his bright amber waves of grain (A/N: Haha, it's a pun, y'see? America, amber waves of- Ha- I'm gonna stop…) had dulled in colour and his bright eyes lost the spark of youth.

His happy gait succumbed to a more leisurely, tired, drag-your-feet-everywhere trudge and the bags under his eyes made his face look years older. Long days locked in his room had made him quiet and reserved; much unlike his usual chipper self. The entire castle worried for his health, which seemed to be deteriorating, but sat back and withdrew their attempts to help him; he refused to let anyone in. The sad part was that everyone knew what the cause of this behavior was, and, honestly, it made everyone a bit depressed as well; however, not to the extent of the prince.

"Darling," Mariel said softly, placing a comforting hand on her sons' shoulder, "we have an important meeting with Yao-"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Alfred keened over and held his mouth shut. He grabbed a decorative vase nearby and released the acidic contents of his stomach. This was one of the reasons Alfred had been losing weight besides losing his appetite; every time the jack was mentioned, he couldn't hold his disgust. No one spoke of his former friend in fear of how terrible _that_ reaction would be.

The queen just paused and turned her head, waiting for her son to finish. It was hard not to sympathize with him. Arthur had become a big part of their lives in the small amount of time he was there, especially Alfred's. It was becoming harder and harder to deal with the damage left behind by his…departure. She had desperately tried to help the prince get over his sullen mood, but it was no use. She even tried convincing the jack to let Arthur come back- unlike some beliefs, she had little power when it came to these matters- and when he refused, the queen couldn't fire _him_. He had been the Jack of Spades for who knows how long, he wouldn't be thrown out so easily. Unsurprisingly, Jack Yao was the only person, it seemed, that wasn't the least bit shaken by Arthur's leave. In fact, he seemed to revel in it.

"I…I know you'd rather not see him, but it's regarding your need of a fiancé. It's time you stop sulking over your little friend and learn to uphold your responsibilities…" The prince felt mild anger bubble in his chest and a tear prick at his eye. _'Little friend? Really? If only you knew how much he actually meant to me.'_ He spent days upon days thinking everything over. His feelings, his place, his power…the grumpy, irritable, disagreeable, funny, beautiful, unique datorem that had been cast away, an iron grip on Alfred's heart. It didn't take him long to figure out that he already knew who he wanted to marry, but apparently his happiness meant nothing to the kingdom.

Alfred begrudgingly followed the queen, completely ignoring the fact that he vomited in a priceless vase moments before, into the jack's office and seemed to crawl into his seat, plopping down heavily. Queen Mariel looked to her son with worry showing clear as day on her aging face. Yao barely looked up from his paperwork when they arrived.

"Prince Alfred," the jack briefly looked at the young boy who avoided eye contact," your search has been on hiatus for quite some time. As you know, it is mandatory for you to choose a spouse, but seeing as you have made no progress, I have taken the liberty of setting up several luncheons for you and other well off women." He seemed to stress 'women', but Alfred was, oddly, the only one that caught it.

Another pat from his mother.

"Don't you think that sounds lovely?" She kissed his head," Now, excuse me, I need to prepare for an important business meeting with some Diamonds." Alfred said nothing and glared at Yao intensely. They both knew what was going on between them, and they both knew their little strife was going to end up ugly. _'Preferably with that bastard's head smashed into the nearest hard surface.'_ Alfred growled in his head. He couldn't say no to the set ups, that was out of his control, but he could definitely make those 'dates' things to remember.

**. . .**

'_Why?'_

It's what he's been thinking all month. Over and over the question rung inside his empty head. Why had the jack set up such a horrible thing? Why had that ugly, filthy, _wretched_ man taken his last form of innocence? Why…why had Alfred not come back for him? They both knew nothing was wrong with him. The idiot jack had jumped to conclusions and mistook his shock for bloody pregnancy! Arthur was devastated at first, but that just turned into pure loathe.

Arthur had finally come to terms with his contradicting feelings, had finally admitted to himself that, yes, he _did_ love Alfred. However, as soon as that perfect moment came up, he was tossed like a ragdoll out into the streets yet again and separated from those he cared about. It wasn't just Alfred; it was Sabina, the queen, the king, and that small little dog that would come and sit by him when he was out in the gardens reading under his favourite tree.

Now, here he was, sitting against a hard, stone wall, his clothes torn and dirty, and dwindling health. He had almost forgotten what being on the streets was like. Arthur most certainly forgot what it was like to be beaten by the ones who thought they were above him, who were really just as low as he was. People's feet moved across his vision as they hurriedly crossed the market, ignoring him and the other beggars completely. His stomach growled as the smell of the pastry shop nearby set out its' fresh new creations. Arthur's heart clenched a tad as he realized that smell was bread pudding.

"_Mreow_," he turned when he felt a small pat on his bare arm. A stray cat looked up at him in curiosity. It's orange-brown and white fur was dingy from the dirt that made up the roads, and the folded ears twitched as it tilted its' head. Arthur cautiously held out his hand and the feline sniffed it, and then quickly rubbed against the extended appendage. He smiled a bit as it sat next to him and he pet it gently. At least he had someone to keep him company, at least…until this one left him too.

**. . .**

"Again?! Really, Alfred? Are you just _trying_ to ruin your reputation more?" King Theodore stood in front of his son, "The past three young ladies have been very kind and well off, why can't you just be yourself and win them over? It shouldn't be this hard, Alfred! Get it through your head: he isn't coming back, and you need a wife! Now, the next time you have to meet with another young woman, you are going to make it work, do I make myself clear?"

Alfred stood his ground and looked his father in the eye stubbornly. As he promised himself, the last 'dates' set up for him had gone disastrously. The first fell into the pond out back, the second almost had her hair caught fire and fell down some stairs, and the third had just left because she stepped in Nova's dung pile after the horse nipped at her dress. Alfred wasn't trying to be mean, but he just wanted to prove a point to his superiors, and some things came out a bit more dramatic than others. All of the incidents were 'accidents', so no one could blame him fully.

"Yes, _sir_." With that he walked away, ignoring his father's bellows, and locked himself in his room again.

Although he personally felt like a mess, his room was perfectly clean like always. There were more books scattered around, and more papers on the wall and desk, but the rest of the room looked spotless. He sat in his desk chair with a sigh and loosened his tie. The past few weeks seemed to be more dreadful than the month or so he spent alone in his bed chamber. They were all running him to his bone, and he was getting sick of it.

He looked up above his desk at the painting that hung on the wall. It gave him a slight peace of mind and reminded him of Arthur. He really wish he could go back to London and sweep Arthur off his feet, take im back to the palace and let all of their problems be solved.

But it wasn't that easy.

Alfred sighed and stripped himself of his clothing and took a long bath, trying to wash all of his stress away. He sat in the hot water, sliding down until everything from his neck down was submerged in the steamy liquid. The prince let his mind and body relax, but his thoughts weren't as kind. They kept going back to the time he spent with Arthur. He groaned as he felt heat pool in his stomach as he recounted one memory.

Arthur and he had gone out on one of their searches, but instead of scouring the streets for pretty ladies, they went back to Arthur's childhood hangout. The datorem had shown him the small creak nearby and they laughed as they attempted to catch the small frogs inhabiting the small area. Arthur had lunged for one and ended up falling into the creek, soaking his clothes through. When he stood up, Alfred could see straight through the shirt at the datorem's slim chest, his nipples perked at the cold temperature. Alfred gulped and admired Arthur as he grumpily shred his shirt and went back to find the damned frog.

Alfred sighed as he let his hand travel down his stomach as he imagined Arthur's chest, soaking wet and bare to the elements. He let his mind think of other parts of the datorem's body as his hand wrapped around his now erect manhood. Slowly his hand moved up and down, lightly grazing his thumb over the tip. He squeezed gently as he imagined what Arthur would look like completely naked and writhing underneath him.

The water in the tub splashed against the sides slightly as he moved his hand faster. The image was burned into his mind and he could only dream of the sounds that would come out of the datorem's mouth. Alfred arched his back slightly as he imagined different positions, including a very provocative picture of Arthur's lips wrapped around his member. He bit his lip to keep from making any loud noises as he drew closer to the edge, but allowed a single moan to slip past his lips as he released into the now lukewarm water.

"_Arthur_…"

Alfred's body relaxed and he closed his eyes as he let his breathing even out. He cringed and sighed, washing off again before heading out of his bathroom on wobbly legs. It seemed to be a re-occurring thing for him lately: to dream and imagine, but never get the real thing. He had honestly tried to get out of the palace and rescue his damsel in distress, but somehow someone had always found out and stopped him. _'Maybe I just…should stop…No. I can't give up…but I can pretend, then strike when they least expect it! This is gonna work, I'll be able to see him soon. I just hope he can wait a bit longer…'_ With a lighter mood and a muddled mind full of plans, Alfred fell asleep with a small smile on his face.

**. . .**

Arthur was jolted awake by angry shouting and a broom to the face. He scrambled up and looked at the angry shopkeeper shooing him away. Not looking back, he wordlessly walked away, stern face set with a confident stride; the confidence completely fake. His feet hurt as he walked down the uneven streets and his stomach growled at the smells wafting around the air.

He jumped slightly as he felt something jump on his shoulders, but smiled when he saw it was only his feline companion. The cat seemed to enjoy his company, and the feeling was mutual. To Arthur's surprise, the cat had stuck with him ever since it approached him a few weeks ago. He had decided to give the spunky feline a name, but he didn't have the slightest idea of what to call him. He entertained calling him a silly name like 'Mr. Whiskers' or 'Fluffy', but he had more respect for the cat than that.

"Hey, boy." He said as he scratched him behind the ears. Arthur plucked him from his perch and held the cat out so he could get a full look at him.

"Simon. Yes, I believe I shall call you Simon, how's about that?" Simon mewled and Arthur chuckled, placing the cat back on his shoulders. The two walked through the streets, and, oddly, Arthur was in a slightly better mood than normal. Perhaps it was the company of Simon and the comforting sound of the cat's purring next to his ears.

He stopped to look at the bakery's daily specials longingly. They had been making an abundant supply of bread pudding and Arthur was tempted by it every day. Simon leapt off of his shoulder and stalked into the shop with no problem. Arthur sighed. Sometimes he was jealous of the sneaky feline being able to just walk into any shop he wanted and walk out with a little something every time.

Simon walked out a few minutes later licking his lips and Arthur put his hand on his hip and glared lightly at him. "You little bugger." He picked him up and looked him in the eyes, "I swear one day you'll walk in and you won't be met with any service. Just you wait."

"_Mreow_," Simon tilted his head and licked Arthur's nose, and the datorem could smell what he had been given this time around.

"Oh bullocks! You had the pudding? You little brat!" Arthur allowed the cat to climb back onto his perch, but he stayed in front of the bakery to admire the treats some more. He heard someone come up beside him to look into the window as well, but ignored them as he tended to do. He was surprised, however, as he heard a chuckle and someone pet Simon.

"It seems you two are very close, no?" Arthur turned and stared at the stranger as he continued to pet his grumpy cat. The man was slightly taller than Arthur, with long, wavy blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. He was obviously well off judging by his clothes, and most likely from the Diamond kingdom due to the colours, if Arthur's suspicions were correct.

"Yes, quite. If you please, I'd best be going." Arthur turned to leave the strange man, but he ended up walking right into the blond instead.

"Oh, come now, I was only making an observation! I also saw that you were gazing quite intently at that beautiful bowl of bread pudding, yes?" Arthur could hear a thick accent normally heard from Diamond natives. The man held out his hand to the datorem and revealed a charming smile. "I am Francis. Would you care to accompany me to a lunch of bread pudding?" Arthur looked at Francis wearily, then glanced at the bowl in the window.

"Arthur, charmed. And," he hesitated slightly, but it was a free meal, so he thought it wouldn't be too bad, "yes, I suppose…thank you."

"Ah, it is my pleasure. You look like you need some meat on those bones, what better way to do that than with the wonderful taste of fattening sweets! Come, come, I will not bother you for long, I promise." Francis held open the door to the bakery and waited for Arthur to enter. The datorem proceeded with caution, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to be fed properly for once.

The two entered the shop and Francis immediately ordered two large bowls of their freshest bread pudding. It wasn't long before they were sat at a table with two bowls of pudding. Arthur was still weary of the Diamond's man, but ate his bowl fairly quickly. Out of courtesy, he waited for Francis to finish his bowl as well and Simon laid on the table in between the two. Francis pet the cat again and suddenly stood up, holding out his hand again.

"Care to stroll the plaza with me?" Arthur scoffed.

"Humpf, I don't think so. Thank you for the food, but I must be off." He tried to sidestep Francis, but the man held his elbow.

"Just for a bit? I can buy you some food to hold you over for a while if you would like…?" Arthur was tempted yet again by the talk of food. He shouldn't trust the man, but he _really_ couldn't say no to food. Arthur hadn't eaten anything decent in quite a while…

"…only for the food." Francis smiled, grabbed Arthur's hand and picked up the lazy cat, heading out into the square with the reluctant datorem trailing behind him.

**. . .**

Okay, so, I know I haven't updated in a while, but I've had a lot on my plate lately, so I made this one a bit longer for you. Please be patient with me please "^-^ I try my hardest, haha. Anyways, hope you enjoyed and stay tuned! Keep calm and Lemon on!

**~Miss Stealer**


	12. The Decisions Are Not in Your Hands

**Miss Stealer:** Yes, this is obscenely late, I know T-T I'm kind of hating my life right now, I have no time to do anything anymore what with copious amounts of projects and homework and such. It really sucks. But I'm not going to stop this and the PruCan; that would be dickish haha. Rest assured, this will get finished, just…kinda…okay, maybe really slow XD Please don't hate me? Love you all~ Enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. If only TAT

**. . .**

"So tell me, are you always this polite to street rats such as myself?" Arthur asked bluntly as he was pulled about the square by Francis. The elder laughed deeply and looked back at the blond with a sparkle in his eye.

"Non, I am not usually, but you happened to catch my eye, dear Arthur." The datorem scoffed and rolled his eyes. The Diamond was obviously trying to be charming, but it was coming off so strong it almost seemed to strangle Arthur. Francis had dragged him around practically the entire square, demanding to know what foods he liked and disliked. Apparently he wasn't joking when he would buy him food to last a while, judging by the amount of Arthur's favourite foods he was currently lugging around.

"Hmm, do you think this is enough for you?" Francis held up the heavy bag of food that was filled to the brim up for Arthur to see. He slightly gaped at the amount of goodies that had accumulated over the short period of time they were together.

"It's…well, more than enough." Arthur gratefully took the bag and slung it over his shoulder with ease, "Thank you, but my I ask again: why spend so much time and money on a random datorem on the street?"

"Ohonhon, obviously because I have too much time and money to spend, so why not do so on someone who will appreciate my efforts instead of completely ignore the love and devotion put into such an action?" The taller blond wrapped an arm around Arthur's shoulders, "I want to be able to share my wealth- and beauty- to the world, dear Arthur, and the first place to start is at the bottom, no?" Arthur eyed Francis wearily.

"I suppose."

"Ah, come on, what is with the sourpuss look? Can I get just one smile?" Francis pulled his own lips into a smile for emphasis.

"No."

"Poo, you are no fun!" The Diamond tried to make Arthur crack the smallest of smiles, but to no avail. Arthur could put up with only so much, and Francis seemed to get on his last nerve quite quickly.

"Of course I'm not. Who has time for fun when you're thinking about where you're going to sleep tonight, or even if you _will_ sleep at all? Don't be so ignorant, you bloody twat." Arthur expected to see the noble, or at least that's what he thought the blond was, offended or downright angry, but instead Francis laughed loudly and wiped a nonexistent tear from his eye.

"Oh, Arthur, I am not as ignorant as you think!" He winked at the datorem, and then turned to bow. "It truly has been a pleasure spending my first day in the Spades Kingdom with you, but I must bid you farewell; hopefully not forever, my dear Arthur." The two exchanged goodbyes, rather rushed to Arthur, and soon he found himself all alone again.

As he walked to the direction of the now familiar path through the woods, Arthur wondered what it was with nobles and higher-ups picking him of all people to be kind to._ 'There are far better choices out there than I,'_ he thought as he absently scratched Simon's head when he caught up with his master. He plopped down next to his tree and opened the bag, taking out a small bread roll and breaking it into pieces for him and Simon to share.

He thought as he ate, his hand absently sifting through the rest of the sack. His hand came to a halt when he felt something velvet touch his fingertips. That was most definitely not food. Arthur pulled out a small velvet coin purse. Inside were around twenty gold pieces.

"That bloody, snide, conniving frog..." he mumbled to himself angrily, but he couldn't help the smile that came onto his face. _'I mean,'_ he thought to himself,_ 'it _is_ money…but still, I don't need help from that arrogant man…'_

But he smiled again, sadly this time. The generous Diamond man reminded him so much of a certain dirty blond that his missed too much to be normal. "Idiot…"

**. . .**

Yao bowed deeply and Alfred just stood behind him, arms crossed and attention elsewhere. They young lady exiting the ornate carriage before them smiled widely. Her wild dark red hair blew in the wind along with the skirt of her dress; a simple blue, long sleeved, flowing dress with little embellishments. She curtsied and the jack stepped aside for the prince to greet her. Alfred just bowed slightly, but was forced into a deeper bow at the jack's red glare.

"Lady Sandrine, it is an honor and pleasure to have you this evening." Yao spoke up, "I hope your stay is quite pleasurable throughout."

"Thank you kindly." Sandrine seemed to shy away from the two, but still smiled brightly and nodded her head in thanks.

"Prince Alfred," he turned to the prince with a warning stare, "I leave Lady Sandrine in your care. Do enjoy yourselves." With that the jack left, leaving the two teens standing awkwardly with one another.

"Hello, Your Highness, I've been waiting to meet you; it's an honor." Alfred showed a fake smile, like she would ever know, and returned the compliment.

"And the same, Lady Sandrine," he reluctantly held out his arm for her to take, "would you like to accompany me to the garden for lunch?" Sandrine giggled shrilly and took his arm, holding it to her tightly as they walked to the garden patio.

"Oh, please, call me Sandy if you please, 'Lady Sandrine' can get quite lengthy."

"As you wish, Sandy." The two arrived at the patio shortly; a small, round table sat covered in their lunch and two glasses of wine. Alfred never liked wine much, but had to put up with it during 'special' occasions. He'd rather have a nice hot cup of tea…with two sugars and a dash of milk…like Arthur used to make for him…

Alfred shook his head and rid the thoughts from his head and pulled Sandy's chair out for her, sitting down himself when she was seated. The two ate in relative silence, occasionally sparking up a shallow conversation that just ended with more awkward silences. When they finished, they strolled through the garden; Sandy talking Alfred's ear off about different flowers and such while he just zoned out.

"Oh!" Alfred looked at her when she bent over and gently touched a red rose and he raised a brow. "A Tudor Rose! These are from the London area in the England County! These are quite hard to find around these parts, but utterly beautiful to have a gander at, don't you think?"

Alfred stared blankly as she carefully plucked two out and handed him one. She put the other in her hair and giggled her high-pitched laugh again. He studied the rose and held it in his palm with a sadness buried in his eyes. Not only was the flower from the England County, but it reminded him of Arthur so much he coughed to try to get rid of the strain in his chest.

Without thinking he put the rose in his breast pocket; near his heart so he could feel a bit closer to his lost friend…and love.

They didn't wander in the garden for long before Sandy requested to see the inside of the castle. Alfred complied and escorted her around, showing her all of the rooms and hallways. He hadn't realized until now how boring and bland the castle really was, even with its' bright blues, whites, and golds. He had really never taken notice to his surroundings since he was a child, and everything looks extravagant as a child.

They stopped at a balcony with a view of the garden, leaning over the marble railing to bask in the afternoon's beauty. He turned his head to look at the girl next to him. Sandy was definitely not ugly, but like the many women before her, he couldn't find any attraction toward them whatsoever. Alfred hung his head and sighed. No matter what he did Arthur wouldn't stay out of his head. It seemed as if his brain was taunting him, telling him that he had the opportunity and now it was gone. Just like he was…

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Alfred looked to Sandy again, seeing the worried expression on her face. When he saw her, he was suddenly hit with utter _repulsion_, towards her, himself, Jack Yao, _everyone_, that made him grow dizzy for a moment before he emptied the remnants of his lunch on Sandy's silk dress. She gasped loudly and stared widely at the mess and Alfred panicked, running away to his bedchamber without saying anything close to 'sorry'.

When he slammed his door shut he could hear servants scuffling to her and Sandy babbling their ears off with shrill shouts. He locked the door and quickly rushed to his bathroom, resuming his place near the toilet like weeks before. Alfred wiped his mouth, looking at himself in the full-length mirror across from him.

"Fucking hell!" He slammed his fist into the side of the toilet and grimaced at himself. Alfred rubbed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair, sighing heavily. He sat for a moment, letting his head rest and allowing his breathing to become normal again. "I can't fucking _deal_ with this shit anymore…" he whimpered to himself pathetically.

_Bang, bang, bang._ "Alfred! Alfred, dear, please come out!" Curling up in a ball, he laid still on the ground of the bathroom, completely ignoring the frantic knocking undoubtedly coming from his worried mother.

"I just can't."

**. . .**

_Arthur walked through the streets with a calm face, occasionally petting Simon on his shoulder. He smiled and scratched behind the feline's ear when he affectionately licked Arthur's cheek. Looking through the crowd, Arthur's eyes widened and his breath hitched. A shock of wheat-golden hair attached to a long neck, smoothly transitioning into a broad, muscular set of shoulders crossed his sight. It was far too distinct and memorable not to recognize the owner of said bust. Arthur excitedly rushed through the crowd, pushing his way toward the man._

"_Alfred!" he called loudly, a smile starting to break its' way across his face. "Alfred, you finally came back-!"_

_He stopped dead in his tracks when a young woman, a quite beautiful young woman, latched herself to Alfred's arms, looking up at him with a loving smile. Arthur could feel his heart stop and stomach drop when the beautifully handsome prince looked down at her with the same expression and kissed her tenderly on the lips._

_Arthur dropped to his knees and felt tears run down his cheeks. Alfred finally noticed his presence, but only regarded him with a sad smile and an apologetic shrug before the couple walked off, laughing and smiling together. "He really doesn't need me anymore…"_

Arthur jolted up and took a deep breath of air; angrily scrubbing at the few tears he could feel had dried on his face. Simon was thrown of off his companion at the sudden movement, and meowed grumpily at the disturbance. The dreams just kept getting more painful. _'I need to keep myself occupied…but there's no job I can take because of my…condition.'_

"I guess we'll have to work our way back up, Simon. And this time without the help of a filthy rich, ignorant, bloody, childish," he started angrily listing things that came to mind when he thought of Alfred, but he found it hard to stay negative about the boy," impulsive, caring, helpful, loving, always happy, beautifully bright prince…" Simon rubbed up against Arthur's leg and curled up on the grass next to him as he silently cried as he had done nights before.

**. . .**

"Alfred Franklin Jones I am getting straight to the point." Queen Mariel stood straight in front of her son, who had improved over the course of a few days, but his persona was still not what it used to be; he wasn't that good at his façade just yet. "These luncheons have _not_ been working and have all ended up in disaster. Therefore, your father, Jack Yao, and I have come to an agreement that your bride should be chosen for you."

Alfred sat up in his chair in protest, "But mom-"

"No 'but's mister. This is serious." The stern glare sent his way made Alfred sink back down into his chair and listen attentively. "You're lucky, boy. We have set up a perfect arrangement that will benefit not only our Suit, but another."

"_And that's all that matters, apparently…_" the prince muttered to himself, earning him a slap upside the head and another forceful glare.

"Hush, you've screwed up your chances. You have no say in this anymore, and that's not our fault."

"Yes it is! You're the ones who made me do this when I wasn't ready! You're the ones who sent me out when I had no idea what the _fuck_ I was doing!" His mother's eyes widened at the language but he ignored her and kept yelling. "You're the ones that sat back and did nothing while I struggled to do what you all wanted, like usual! _You're the ones that threw Arthur out without a second glance and left me on my own_!"

Alfred's cheeks were flushed with anger and he panted, trying to regain the air he lost from yelling so loudly. The queen stared at her son blankly. She couldn't deny that all of his points were true, but she still had to stick to the plans they had made.

"True as that may be, we decided that if you weren't going to take this seriously anymore, then we had to." She placed a hand on Alfred's shoulder, who flinched venomously at the contact. "You need to get your act together. We've said it before, but now it's necessary for our Suit. Mess this up and you not only make a fool of yourself, but you make a fool of our people."

"I can't do that."

"Oh yes you can, and you will. Remember, you have no say in this. Now, deal with the consequences and learn to live with them. As of now you are no longer a free man, do you hear me?" Alfred stayed silent. Whoever this woman was, she must be important, but he already hated her. She was the one thing standing between him and his happiness; his happiness with Arthur.

"Yes ma'am." He replied, clipped and visibly tense.

"Good. You know I'd rather not do this, but Jack Yao was right. Sometimes you have to do things you'd rather not do for the people you care for if it's for their wellbeing."

"You're only concerned about an heir, right?" Alfred piped back up, determined to make at least some kind of point that would stick to his mother's actual kind heart. The queen stared at Alfred, pinching between her eyebrows in a vain attempt at ridding herself of her oncoming headache.

"Yes, that's a majority of it, but if we can-"

"Well, Arthur's a datorem."

"…"

"And you know damn well one stupid, bad decision of a messed up guy couldn't affect him. You know exactly what I'm talking about. But that doesn't mean that it was Arthur's fault and that doesn't mean that we couldn't have-"

"Alfred. Stop." Queen Mariel placed both hands on the prince's shoulders and stared icily down at him. "Tomorrow, Jack Yao's office, you will be there. I shan't say more; _do you understand_?" With no other oppositions from Alfred, she walked out without looking back, leaving her son alone in the quiet room to sulk. She paused once, still not looking back, "And dress your nicest, we can't let the Clubs think we are ill mannered."

**. . .**

Late much? Yes, dreadfully so, but many-a-problem had arisen and needed to be dealt with, and I would've uploaded last week but my own personal gender issues came up and wouldn't go away ^_^ But I've started to feel like my old self again, and should have more time to do this shit properly. I really hope you guys don't hate me…I guess I'll see you next week? :?

**~Miss stealer**


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